Self-standing TiO₂@CC@PANI core–shell nanowires as flexibles lithium-ion battery anodes

A novel approach for improving lithium-ion storage involves the fabrication of three-dimensional TiO₂@CC@PANI core–shell electrodes. For the hydrothermal growth of TiO₂ nanowires, carbon cloth (CC) is used as a flexible, conductive base. The nanowires are then coated with polyaniline (PANI) through electrodeposition. This design takes advantage of the carbon substrate’s high conductivity and the structural flexibility of TiO₂ nanowires. The PANI coating provides important active sites for ion storage and reduces changes in volume during lithiation and delithiation. An analysis of the electrode’s electrochemical performance shows that it has a specific capacity of 297.7 mAh g⁻¹ after 100 cycles at a current density of 100 mA g⁻¹. This is a lot more than the 30.8 mAh g⁻¹ of TiO₂@CC alone, and the electrode has an initial Coulombic efficiency of 85.2%. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy indicates superior lithium-ion diffusivity in the TiO₂@CC@PANI structure. Rate performance tests confirm the high structural stability of the TiO₂@CC@PANI electrode under various charge/discharge conditions. These findings demonstrate the enhanced capacity and structural integrity of lithium-ion batteries utilizing TiO₂@CC@PANI anodes, underscoring their potential for high current–density applications.