Exploration of NaLiTi3O7 Decorated with Biocarbon as Anode Material for Lithium and Sodium Ion Batteries

Layered NaLiTi3O7 (NLTO) material synthesized by the sol–gel method has been qualified as a low voltage insertion anode for lithium and sodium ion batteries (LIBs and SIBs, respectively). Pristine NLTO anode material demonstrates the insertion behavior in the voltage range of 0.5–2.0 V in LIBs and around 0.1–1.5 V in SIBs. It delivers a specific capacity of 100 mAh g–1 in LIBs and 30 mAh g–1 in SIBs, thus indicating the necessity to improve the electrochemical performance. Accordingly, coir pith derived carbon (CPC) has been added to produce the NLTO/CPC composite anode. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report discussing the anode behavior of biocarbon added NLTO material in LIBs and SIBs. Decoration of NLTO microparticles on CPC is performed by adopting a simple sonication method. Such a CPC added NLTO increases the specific capacity and demonstrates in LIBs to the extent of 160 mAh g–1 at 100 mA g–1 for 100 cycles. In SIBs, CPC improves the capacity of the NLTO anode marginally to ∼60 mAh g–1 up to 500 cycles. Hence, it is understood that NLTO/CPC finds its suitability in LIBs rather than in SIBs as probable anodes.