Title: Morphology- and lattice stability-dependent performance of nanostructured Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ probed by in situ high-pressure Raman spectroscopy and synchrotron X-ray diffraction

Abstract

Nanostructured Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ (LTO) as a promising anode material in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has shown excellent yet morphology-dependent performance in LIB operations. However, the structural origin that influences the material performance at the microscopic level remains unclear. In this work, using combined in situ Raman spectroscopy and synchrotron X-ray diffraction, we comparatively investigated the structural stability of two nanostructured LTO materials with different morphologies by application of external pressure up to 27 GPa. In particular, nanoflower-like Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ spheres (LTO-1) and Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ nanoparticles (LTO-2) were subjected to high pressures using diamond anvil cells and their structural evolutions were characterized upon compression and decompression. Raman measurements show that both LTO materials undergo pressure-induced structural disorder but with different reversibilities upon decompression. X-ray results further confirmed the Raman measurements, and also allowed the quantitative analysis of pressure dependence of the crystal structures. Structural refinements of the diffraction patterns yield morphology-dependent bulk moduli of the two LTO materials, which reveal critical information about the intrinsic lattice strain and vacancies. These different structural characteristics, when compared with another spinel structure of lithiated titanium dioxide, allow the interpretation of the different performance between LTO-1 and LTO-2 for LIB operations. This study thus contributes to the understanding ofmore » the important factors that may influence the electrochemical performance and help with the design of new LTO-based anode materials for LIBs.« less

Authors:

Xiao, Fengping ^[1]; Dong, Zhaohui ^[2]; Mao, Haiyan ^[3]; Liu, Jian ^[1]; Sun, Xueliang ^[1]; Song, Yang ^[1]

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. Univ. of Western Ontario, London, ON (Canada)
2. Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai (China)
3. Nanjing Forestry Univ. (China)

Publication Date:

Thu Dec 17 00:00:00 EST 2015

Research Org.:

Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Advanced Photon Source (APS)

Sponsoring Org.:

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC); Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI); Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); National Science Foundation (NSF)

OSTI Identifier:

1236275

Grant/Contract Number:  

NA0001974; FG02-99ER45775

Resource Type:

Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:

CrystEngComm

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Volume: 18; Journal Issue: 5; Journal ID: ISSN 1466-8033

Publisher:

Royal Society of Chemistry

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

ENGLISH

Subject:

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY