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.