Direct growth of mesoporous anatase TiO₂ on nickel foam by soft template method as binder-free anode for lithium-ion batteries

Direct growth of mesoporous TiO₂ on Ni foam via a one-step soft template synthesis was directly used for a binder-free anode for lithium-ion batteries. The mesoporous TiO₂ with a high specific surface area of 158.8 m² g^-1 and average pore size of 5.4 nm formed network-like sheets on the surface of the Ni foam. The binder-free TiO₂/Ni anode shows improved electrochemical performance with a capacity as high as 341 mA h g^-1 at a current density of 100 mA g^-1 after 10 cycles and 82.4 mA h g^-1 at a current density of 1000 mA g^-1 after 30 cycles. The enhanced electrochemical performance is attributed to the mesoporous structure that shortens the lithium ion diffusion path and facilitates the transport of lithium ions.