Synthesis of Amorphous TiO2 Nanoparticles with a High Surface Area and Their Transformation to Li4Ti5O12 Nanoparticles.

Pure lithium titanate (Li₄Ti₅O₁₂) nanoparticles were synthesized at low temperature via a new simple method. First, amorphous titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles with a high surface area (624m² g^-1) were prepared by using tetrahydrofuran (THF) as a solvent in the hydrolysis reaction of titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) at room temperature. Pure Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ nanoparticles with a particle size of 10-30 nm were obtained by introducing Li⁺ into the amorphous TiO₂ nanoparticles at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]