Li2TiO3/Ni foam composite as high-performance electrode for energy storage and conversion

Abstract

Li 2 TiO 3 /Ni foam composites were prepared by a solid-state reaction process. They crystallized in the monoclinic Li 2 TiO 3 structure with C 2/ c space group. SEM images show that the Li 2 TiO 3 particles are monodispersed crystallites of average size 49 nm, infused into porous scaffold Ni foam. As an anode in lithium battery, the composite delivered a discharge capacity of 153 mAh g −1 in an aqueous electrolyte and retained 95% of its initial capacity after 30 cycles. Moreover, the Li 2 TiO 3 /Ni foam composite as a negative electrode of pseudo-supercapacitor delivered a specific capacitance of 593 F g −1 and retained 95% of its initial capacitance after 1000 cycles. The enhanced capacity of Li 2 TiO 3 /Ni composite is due to porous scaffold Ni foam, which provides high conductivity to the Li 2 TiO 3 particles and high effective surface area for redox reactions. The performance of the Li 2 TiO 3 /Ni foam as an electrode material for both lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and supercapacitors (SCs) shows that this composite is promising for energy storage devices.

Influence of Foam Morphology on Flow and Heat Transport in a Random Packed Bed with Metallic Foam Pellets—An Investigation Using CFD

“…Open-cell metallic foams are regarded as a versatile engineering material, as they can be used in various applications including heat exchangers, energy absorbers, filters, porous electrodes, fluid mixers, and so on [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. Their unique properties, such as high porosity (75–95%), high surface area (up to 10,000 m 2 /m 3 ), high intrinsic solid conductivity, and rigorous surface texture, have made them an excellent choice for catalyst supports [ 4 ].…”

Rational Design of a 3D Li-Metal Electrode for High-Energy Lithium Batteries

“…This is likely because the electrical current mainly flows through the 3D Ni foam due to its higher electrical conductivity compared to Li metal. 27,31,32 Consequently, the 3D Ni foam plays a critical role in reducing the current density and enhancing the electrical conductivity of the 3DLM electrode.…”

“…In practice, a relatively smaller current value (<1 mA cm –2 ) is observed in the Li-metal region of the 3DLM electrode compared to the conventional 2DLM electrode. This is likely because the electrical current mainly flows through the 3D Ni foam due to its higher electrical conductivity compared to Li metal. ,, Consequently, the 3D Ni foam plays a critical role in reducing the current density and enhancing the electrical conductivity of the 3DLM electrode.…”

α-Li2TiO3: a new ultrastable anode material for lithium-ion batteries

“…15 Early reports on β-Li 2 TiO 3 showed that only at extremely low C-rate can low specific capacity in the range of 15–60 mA h g −1 be realised, accompanied by severe capacity fading afterwards. 16–19 Although β-Li 2 TiO 3 /Ni exhibited significantly improved electrochemical performance in a recent report by Lakshmi-Narayana et al , 20 they found that it was the high electronic conductivity and high effective surface area of the porous Ni foam substrate that contributed to this improvement. Therefore, β-Li 2 TiO 3 is often combined with other cathode/anode materials to stabilize its structure during cycling or enhance the ionic diffusion coefficient.…”