Enhanced High-Rate Performance of Li[sub 4]Ti[sub 5]O[sub 12] Nanoparticles for Rechargeable Li-Ion Batteries

was successfully synthesized by solvothermal techniques using cost-effective precursors in polyol medium. The x-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of the sample (LTO-500) was clearly indexed to the spinel shaped and in order to accurately determine the lattice parameters, synchrotron powder XRD pattern was fitted by the whole-pattern profile matching method using the model space group, . The particle size, morphology, and crystallinity of LTO-500 were identified using field-emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The electrochemical performance of the sample revealed fairly high initial discharge/charge specific capacities of 230 and , respectively, and exhibited highly improved rate performances at C-rates as high as 30 and , when compared to by the solid-state reaction method. This was attributed to the achievement of small particle sizes in nanoscale dimensions, a reasonably narrow particle size distribution and, hence, shorter diffusion paths combined with larger contact area at the electrode/electrolyte interface.