Lithium Insertion into Zirconia-Stabilized Mesoscopic TiO[sub 2] (Anatase)

Lithium insertion into nanotextured anatase, either pure or stabilized with zirconia, was studied using cyclic voltammetry. The voltammograms were sensitive to various morphologies of the tested electrodes. Special attention was paid to the zirconia‐stabilized molecular sieve, PNNL-1 (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory), which was prepared by a surfactant‐templated route. The voltammetric peak‐to‐peak splitting decreases monotonically with the electrode specific surface area. The charge‐transfer rate constants decrease in the same series. PNNL-1 is more stable against prolonged heat‐treatment, as compared to ordinary nanocrystalline anatase. The latter exhibits thermal particle growth and, presumably, partial phase transformation to rutile. PNNL-1 presents a promising model electrode material for Li‐ion batteries, although its faradaic capacity is limited by the presence of a nonactive stabilizer (zirconia). © 2000 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.