Lithium titanate nanoplates embedded with graphene quantum dots as electrode materials for high-rate lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

Anode materials based on lithium titanate (LTO)/graphene composites are considered as ideal candidates for high-rate lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Considering the blocking effects of graphene nanosheets in electrodes during ion-transfer processes, construction of LTO/graphene composite structures with enhanced electrical and ionic conductivity via facile and scalable techniques is still challenging for high-rate LIB. In this work, structures of anode materials based on LTO nanoplates embedded with graphene quantum dots (GQDs) are demonstrated for high-rate LIB. The hybrids can be facilely prepared via in situ introduction of GQDs during the process LTO preparation, which enables a uniform dispersion of GQDs within LTO. This method is convenient, rapid, and can be easily scaled-up. The introduction of 0.05 wt.% GQDs can greatly enhance the electrochemical performance of the electrodes. The electrodes with 0.05 wt.% GQDs deliver a specific discharge capacity of 185, 181 and 179 mAh g−1 at 5, 10, and 20 C, respectively. The performance enhancement is suggested to be due to the synergistic interactions between LTO and GQDs. The strategy as well as as-designed structures of LTO/GQDs show potentials for application as high-rate anode materials in LIBs application.

Engineering functionalization and properties of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) with controllable synthesis for energy and display applications

“…283 GQDs, nano-sized carbon materials, are being employed in batteries as single or composite materials introduced into the electrodes or electrolyte. [284][285][286][287][288][289][290][291] GQDs have enhanced battery performance based on their large surface area relative to volume, electron transport capability, hydrophilicity, and physicochemical adsorption capacity. The effects of introducing GQDs into batteries can be summarized as follows (Table 5).…”

Designing strategies of advanced electrode materials for high-rate rechargeable batteries

“…120,121 Combination with carbon-based materials is one of the most popular candidate methods to boost the conductivity. 122 For example, Hu et al 123 introduced a convenient and rapidly scaled-up method for in situ embedding LTO nanoplates with 0.05 wt% graphene quantum dots (GQDs). Owing to the GQDs, the D Li + is three times higher than that of the pure LTO.…”

Application of electrodeposited Cu-metal nanoflake structures as 3D current collector in lithium-metal batteries

“…To overcome the above-mentioned complications and achieve the theoretical performance of Li metal batteries, many efforts have been made to protect Li anode. Among all these methods, using Li anodes with modified metal current collectors is one of the most effective and expedient strategies [9][10][11]. On current collectors with conventional two-dimensional (2D) Cu planar metallic foils, inhomogeneous Li particles are prone to be deposited and then undesirably formed into Li dendrites, during Li stripping/plating process [12].…”