Spray-drying synthesis and characterization of Li4Ti5O12 anode material for lithium ion batteries

Abstract Spherical and nanostructured Li4Ti5O12 powders were successfully prepared through spray-drying method. Li4Ti5O12 began to be formed after calcining the spray-dried amorphous precursor at approximately 350 °C, and a single phase was obtained at 750 °C. Spherical and porous Li4Ti5O12 particles consisting of polyhedral particles assembled from 21–45 nm grains and 4–24 nm pores. An about 1 nm-thick amorphous layer can also be observed on the surface of the nano-sized grains. The Li4Ti5O12 prepared at 750 °C exhibits the initial discharge capacities of 218 and 211 mAh g−1 and a high retention of 99.90 % and 99.67 % for 50 times at a rate of 1 C or 2 C in the voltage range of 1.0–2.5 V, respectively.