Improvements in the electrochemical performance of Li₄Ti₅O₁₂-coated graphite anode materials for lithium-ion batteries by simple ball-milling

Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ (LTO)-coated graphite anode materials for lithium-ion batteries with superior rate-capability and cycling performance were prepared by simple ball-milling in a short time. LTO particles, uniformly coated on the surface of graphite active materials, improved the kinetics and stability on the surface of graphite particles on the basis of their high Li-ion diffusivity and structural stability. As a result, the LTO-coated graphite, which was ball-milled for 5 min, presented a high initial discharge capacity (324 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.2 C), superior rate-capability (>260 mAh g⁻¹ at 5 C), and excellent cycling performance (∼94% after 100 cycles at 0.2 C).