Constructing Hierarchical Spheres from Large Ultrathin Anatase TiO2 Nanosheets with Nearly 100% Exposed (001) Facets for Fast Reversible Lithium Storage
Synthesis of nanocrystals with exposed high-energy facets is a well-known challenge in many fields of science and technology. The higher reactivity of these facets simultaneously makes them desirable catalysts for sluggish chemical reactions and leads to their small populations in an equilibrated crystal. Using anatase TiO2 as an example, we demonstrate a facile approach for creating high surface area, stable nanosheets comprised of nearly 100% exposed (001) facets. Our approach relies on spontaneous assembly of the nanosheets into three-dimensional, hierarchical spheres that stabilizes them from collapse. We show that the high surface density of exposed TiO2 (001) facets leads to fast lithium insertion/deinsertion processes in batteries that mimic features seen in high power electrochemical capacitors.
from Award KUS-C1-018-02 made by King Abdullah University
of Science and Technology (KAUST). The authors are grateful
to the reviewers and Prof. Hua Chun Zeng (National University
of Singapore) for very valuable comments and to Nanyang
Technological University for financial support through a startup
grant (SUG).