Controllable Synthesis and Electrochemical Research of Zn₂TiO₄ Spheres as New Anode Materials for Lithium Ion Batteries

Abstract Zn₂TiO₄ spheres are fabricated via a simple hydrothermal strategy combined with subsequent heating treatment of 600, 700, and 800 °C, respectively. All the as‐synthesized Zn₂TiO₄ spheres are assembled by many small nanospheres with a particle size of 20–100 nm. The compactness of Zn₂TiO₄ spheres is continuously enhanced as the temperature rises from 600 to 800 °C. Additionally, compared with the Zn₂TiO₄ calcined at 700 and 800 °C samples, the Zn₂TiO₄ sintered at 600 °C sample exhibits the best electrochemical performance, and it can deliver the high discharge specific capacities of 405, 269, 223, 193, 173, and 166 mAh g^–1 at current densities of 50, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 mA g^–1, respectively. Simultaneously, it also displays the excellent cyclic performance with a high reversible charge (discharge) capacity of 245.8 (247.7) mAh g^–1 after 300 cycles at the current density of 200 mA g^–1. The results demonstrate that the as‐prepared ZnTiO₄ spheres sintered at 600 °C will be expected to be a new anode material of lithium ion batteries.