Constructing hierarchical submicrotubes from interconnected TiO2 nanocrystals for high reversible capacity and long-life lithium-ion batteries

Here, we report a facile hydrothermal approach for synthesizing anatase TiO2 hierarchical mesoporous submicrotubes (ATHMSs) with the aid of long-chain polymer as soft template. The TiO2 nanocrystals, with sizes of 6-8 nm, are well interconnected with each other to build tubular architectures with diameters of 0.3-1.5 μm and lengths of 10-25 μm. Such highly porous structures give rise to very large specific surface area of 201.9 m(2) g(-1) and 136.8 m(2) g(-1) for the as-prepared and annealed samples, respectively. By using structurally stable ATHMSs as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries, they exhibited high reversible capacity, long cycling life and excellent cycling stability. Even after 1000 cycles, such ATHMS electrodes retained a reversible discharge capacity as high as 150 mAh g(-1) at the current density of 1700 mA g(-1), maintaining 92% of the initial discharge capacity (163 mAh g(-1)).