Hierarchical porous Ti2Nb10O29 nanospheres as superior anode materials for lithium ion storage

Lithium ions batteries (LIBs) with high power/energy densities largely rely on the innovation of electrode materials. Herein, for the first time, we rationally construct novel titanium niobium oxide (Ti2Nb10O29, TNO) nanospheres with a three-dimensional porous structure consisting of cross-linked nanoparticles by a simple solvothermal method combined with heat treatment. Compared to bulk TNO microrods, the obtained TNO nanospheres show a larger specific surface area and richer/shorter transfer channels for ions/electrons. Owing to these advantages, the TNO nanosphere electrode exhibits noticeable exceptional electrochemical performance with superior high-rate capability (241 mA h g−1 at 10C, and 208 mA h g−1 at 20C) and ultra-long life with a capacity of 215 mA h g−1 after 500 cycles at 10C, much better than the TNO microrod counterparts. Our findings may pave a new way for the design/fabrication of the state-of-the-art electrodes for electrochemical energy storage.