LI+ ION INSERTION IN TIO2 (ANATASE) .2. VOLTAMMETRY ON NANOPOROUS FILMS

Electrochemical properties of Li+ ion insertion in nanoporous TiO2 (an atase) electrodes were studied by voltammetry. Linear and cyclic poten tial scans were recorded as a function of electrolyte concentration, f ilm thickness, and temperature. The currents were directly proportiona l to the inner electrode area of the electrodes. The reduction of Ti4 and oxidation of Ti3+ are sluggish and follows irreversible kinetics. The standard rate constant was (3.5 +/- 0.5) x 10(-10) cm/s. The tran sfer coefficient was close to 0.5, indicating that the potential drop appears mainly across the Helmholtz layer. The capacitive currents gov ern largely the shape of the i-v curves, except within a region near t he peak potential where diffusion-limited insertion and extraction of Li+ ions in the anatase lattice are dominating. The diffusion coeffici ent at 25 degrees C in the nanoporous structure was approximately 2 x 10(-17) cm(2)/s for insertion and 4 x 10(-17) cm(2)/s for extraction. The activation energy was 0.4 eV for insertion and 0.5 eV for extracti on. The maximum obtained mole fraction of Li+ in LixTiO2 was x = 0.47.