Preparation and Li-Intercalation Properties of Mesoporous Anatase-TiO[sub 2] Spheres

Mesoporous materials have gained a great deal of interest as catalysts because of their unique textural and structural characteristics. In this study, mesoporous spheres of anatase- TiO 2 with a specific surface area of 147 m 2 ∕ g and a pore volume of 0.139 cm 3 ∕ g , were successfully synthesized by combining a sol-gel process with an anionic surfactant (SDS)-assisted templating method. When used as the active component of the negative electrode materials for lithium batteries, they exhibit a large initial electrochemical lithium insertion capacity of 257 mAh ∕ g , good reversibility and cyclic performance, as well as high discharge–charge rate properties.