title: Mesoporous Li4Ti5O12 nanoclusters anchored on super-aligned carbon nanotubes as high performance electrodes for lithium ion batteries.
abstract: Mesoporous lithium titanate (LTO) nanoclusters are in situ synthesized in a network of super aligned carbon nanotubes (SACNTs) via a solution-based method followed by heat treatment in air. In the LTO-CNT composite, SACNTs not only serve as the skeleton to support a binder-free electrode, but also render the composite with high conductivity, flexibility, and mechanical strength. The homogeneously dispersed LTO nanoclusters among the SACNTs allow each LTO grain to effectively access the electrolyte and the conductive network, benefiting both ion and electron transport. By the incorporation of LTO into the CNT network, mechanical reinforcement is also achieved. When serving as a negative electrode for lithium ion batteries, such a robust composite-network architecture provides the electrodes with effective charge transport and structural integrity, leading to high-performance flexible electrodes with high capacity, high rate capability, and excellent cycling stability.
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Laboratory of Materials Utilization of Nonmetallic Minerals and Solid Wastes, National Laboratory of Mineral Materials, School of Materials Sciences and Technology, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, China and Department of Physics and Tsinghua-Foxconn Nanotechnology Research Center, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Tsinghua-Foxconn Nanotechnology Research Center, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
authors.forename: Weibang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Tsinghua-Foxconn Nanotechnology Research Center, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
authors.forename: Hengcai
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Tsinghua-Foxconn Nanotechnology Research Center, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Tsinghua-Foxconn Nanotechnology Research Center, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
authors.forename: Datao
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Tsinghua-Foxconn Nanotechnology Research Center, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Tsinghua-Foxconn Nanotechnology Research Center, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China and Collaborative Innovation Center of Quantum Matter, Beijing 100084, China. jpwang@tsinghua.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Kaili
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Tsinghua-Foxconn Nanotechnology Research Center, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China and Collaborative Innovation Center of Quantum Matter, Beijing 100084, China. jpwang@tsinghua.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Qunqing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Tsinghua-Foxconn Nanotechnology Research Center, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China and Collaborative Innovation Center of Quantum Matter, Beijing 100084, China. jpwang@tsinghua.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jiaping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Tsinghua-Foxconn Nanotechnology Research Center, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
authors.forename: Shoushan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fan