Preparation of mesoporous TiO₂-B nanowires from titanium glycolate and their application as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries

TiO₂-B nanowires with remarkable mesoporous structure via a template-free low-temperature hydrothermal fabrication route have been prepared by employing titanium glycolate (TG) as a precursor. The formation of mesopores in TiO₂-B nanowires is caused by the evolvement of vacancies derived from the chains of TG. The product is characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption–desorption, and electron microscopy. The lithium-ion storage capacity of mesoporous TiO₂-B nanowires is evaluated by galvanostatic measurements. The initial discharge–charge capacities of the material are 310 and 231 mAh g⁻¹ at a current density of 50 mA g⁻¹, respectively. A discharge capacity of 198 mAh g⁻¹ is still retained when charge–discharge at 1.0 A g⁻¹ for 50 cycles, demonstrating the high-rate performance and good cycle ability. The large reversible capacity, high-rate performance, and good cycle ability of the material are attributed to unique mesoporous structure and intrinsic properties of the TiO₂-B nanowires. The mesoporous TiO₂-B nanowire synthesized from TG is promising for use as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries with high power and energy densities.