Institute of Chemistry of Far Eastern Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia:

D. P. Opra, Head of Power Sources Group, e-mail: ayacks@mail.ru
S. V. Gnedenkov, Deputy Director, Head of Department of Electrochemical Systems and Surface
Modification Processes, e-mail: svg21@hotmail.com
V. G. Kuryavyy, Senoir Researcher of the Laboratory of Fluoride Materials
S. L. Sinebryukhov, Head of Nonstationary Surface Processes Laboratory

At present Li-ion batteries have long been used as power supply for a large scale of portable high-technology equipment, such as mobile phones, notebooks, e-books, pads, photo- and video cameras, smartphones, etc. Technological progress puts high requirements on Li-ion batteries performance parameters, including the capacity, power, reliability, storage life, and safety. It should be noted that the safety of modern Li-ion batteries is quite insufficient (because of the high reactivity of lithiated carbon) for using them as power supply modules consisting of a large number of cells. Titania is a more suitable anode material for safe Li-ion batteries due to its higher lithiation-delithiation voltage as compared to graphite. Among the titania polymorphs the anatase TiO₂ is intensively investigated as Li-ion battery anode. In the present paper nanostructured anatase TiO₂ has been synthesized by a facile original method of pulsed high-voltage discharge. As-prepared titania consists of a rough surface of particles having dimensions up to 500 nm composed from nanoparticles with diameters lower than 100 nm. Electrochemical properties of nanostructured anatase TiO₂ nanostructure have been investigated in order to design the anode for Li-ion battery with high capacity and long-life performance. The galvanostatic discharge-charge cycling of the titania electrode vs. Li⁺/Li at 0.1C-rate in the range from 3 to 1 V yields approximately 155 mAh·g^–1 after 20 cycles. The irreversible capacity loss is determined by both lithium intercalation into irreversible sites and decomposition of the electrolyte and the formation of the solid electrolyte interphase layer. The electrochemical reaction mechanism between the Li⁺ and anatase TiO₂ has been investigated by the cyclic voltammetry. The obtained results show suitability of the method of pulsed high-voltage discharge for preparing of the nanostructured anode-active materials for Li-ion batteries.

This work was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (grant № 14-33-00009) and Russian Government (Federal Agency of Scientific Organizations). For helpful discussions the authors are grateful to Dr. T. A. Kaidalova from Institute of Chemistry of FEB RAS.

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