Ammonia-annealed TiO2 as a negative electrode material in li-ion batteries: N doping or oxygen deficiency?

Improving the chemical diffusion of Li ions in anatase TiO2 is essential to enhance its rate capability as a negative electrode for Li-ion batteries. Ammonia annealing has been used to improve the rate capability of Li4 Ti5 O12 . Similarly, ammonia annealing improves the Li-ion storage performance of anatase TiO2 in terms of the stability upon cycling and the C-rate capability. In order to distinguish whether N doping or oxygen deficiencies, both introduced upon ammonia annealing, are more relevant for the observed improvement, a systematic electrochemical study was performed. The results suggest that the creation of oxygen vacancies upon ammonia annealing is the main reason for the improvement of the stability and C-rate capability.