Kinetically controlled low-temperature solution-processed mesoporous rutile TiO₂ for high performance lithium-ion batteries

Solution-processed nanostructured mesoporous rutile phase titanium dioxides (TiO₂) are a fascinating class of materials for energy applications owing to their remarkable properties, including thermal stability. The unique lattice structure of rutile TiO₂ (R-TiO₂) leads to multifaceted physicochemical properties, which influence its performances. We here report the preparation of mesoporous R-TiO₂ via a simple and scalable solution process at a low temperature (<50 °C). Kinetically controlled synthesis of mesoporous R-TiO₂ with three-dimensional hierarchical sea-urchin-like morphology containing populous one-dimensional nanorods are prepared from the precipitates of our cocktail-like precursor solutions of TiCl₄ and CH₄N₂S. The mesoporous R-TiO₂ annealed at 300 °C possessing a large surface area manifests excellent energy storage behavior, with a high capacity of 457 mAhg⁻¹ for the first discharge cycle, at a current density of 0.2 C in the potential range of 1–3 V, as well as a high reversible charge–discharge capacity, high rate performance, and excellent cycling stability for lithium-ion batteries. We anticipate our straightforward wet-chemical method to advance the development of mesoporous TiO₂ as a promising candidate for high-performance energy storage and other energy applications.