Carbon-incorporated, nitrogen-doped branch-like TiO2 nanostructure towards superior lithium storage performance

Hierarchical TiO 2 nanostructures have shown a good prospect for energy storage and conversion. However, the intrinsic low conductivity and sluggish reaction kinetics greatly hamper their applications as the anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Herein, an eco-friendly route has been developed as a scalable strategy for preparing the anatase TiO 2 nanostructures via a simple template-free hydrothermal process. The as-made TiO 2 product has a high surface area of 146.3 m 2  g −1 and a unique hierarchically branched nanostructure, which is constructed by the rigid trunk and flexible nanosheets . Significantly, the product demonstrates the uniform distribution of carbon/nitrogen in the TiO 2 architecture. Benefiting from these unique structural features, the TiO 2 -400 electrode shows a superior electrochemical performance for reversible lithium storage, demonstrating a high reversible capacity of 268.2 mA h g −1  at 100 mA g −1 after 600 cycles and long cycling life. This study also opens a new window for rational design of hierarchical nanostructures with excellent properties by an environmentally benign technique.