Yolk-Shell TiO₂@C Nanocomposite as High-Performance Anode Material for Sodium-Ion Batteries

Yolk-shell TiO₂@C nanocomposites have been synthesized successfully through a simple self-catalyzing solvothermal method. The structural and morphological characterizations reveal that TiO₂@C nanocomposite has a yolk-shell microsphere morphology with diameters of 1-2 μm, and both yolk and shell are composed of TiO₂ nanoparticles (∼10 nm). The as-prepared yolk-shell TiO₂@C composites exhibit superior sodium storage properties, with a specific capacity of 210 mAh g^-1, an outstanding cycle life of 85% capacity retention of 2000 cycles and extraordinary rate performance at 40 C rate. All the results indicate that the yolk-shell TiO₂@C nanocomposite can be suggested as a promising anode material for high-performance sodium-ion batteries.