Mesoporous TiO₂/TiC@C composite membranes with stable TiO₂-C interface for robust lithium storage

Transition metal oxides/carbon (TMOs/C)composites are important for high-performance lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), but the development of interface-stable TMOs/C composite anodes for robust lithium storage is still a challenge. Herein, mesoporous TiO₂/TiC@C composite membranes were synthesized by an in situ carbothermic reduction method. TiC nanodots with high conductivity and electrochemical inactivity at the TiO₂-C interface can significantly enhance the electrical conductivity and structural stability of the membranes. Finite element simulations demonstrate that the TiO₂/TiC@C membranes can effectively alleviate tensile and compression stress effects upon lithiation, which is beneficial for robust lithium storage. When used as additives and binder-free electrodes, the TiO₂/TiC@C membranes show excellent cycling capability and rate performance. Moreover, a flexible full battery can be assembled by employing the TiO₂/TiC@C membranes and shows good performance, highlighting the potential of these membranes in flexible electronics. This work opens an avenue to constructing interface-stable composite structures for the next-generation high-performance LIBs.