Sandwich structured MoO₂@TiO₂@CNT nanocomposites with high-rate performance for lithium ion batteries

Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) is an important anode candidate for Li-ion battery (LIB) due to its properties of excellent cycle, high safety and low cost. However, the poor electrical conductivity of TiO₂ presents a significant challenge hampering its practical application in LIBs. Most researches have been concentrated on developing TiO₂ composites with metals, metal oxides and carbonaceous materials to improve its conductivity. In this work, we investigated a sandwich structured MoO₂@TiO₂@CNT nanocomposite through a simple three-step synthesis method. The CNT and highly conductive MoO₂ under/on the TiO₂ layer are served as flexible and strong electronic paths for rapid electron and ion transport. The resulting MoO₂@TiO₂@CNT hybrid structures show improved specific capacity and cycling stability compared with TiO₂@CNT. In addition, the MoO₂@TiO₂@CNT composites also show a favorable rate capability, demonstrating its potential as anode material for LIBs