Facile molten salt synthesis of carbon-anchored TiN nanoparticles for durable high-rate lithium-ion battery anodes

Transition metal nitrides (TMNs), including titanium nitride (TiN), exhibit remarkable application prospects as anodes for durable high-rate lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Regrettably, the absence of simple synthesis methods restricts their further development. Herein, a facile and low-cost molten salt synthesis strategy was proposed to prepare carbon-anchored TiN nanoparticles as an advanced anode material for LIBs with high rate capabilities. This nanosized TiN obtained is 5 nm in size and well-distributed onto carbon plates, which could release a reversible capacity of 381.5 mAh g^-1 at 0.1 A g^-1 after 250 cycles and 141.5 mAh g^-1 at 1.0 A g^-1 after 1000 cycles. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the conversion reaction between TiN and Li-ions happened during the electrochemical reaction process, resulting in the formation of Li₃N and Ti. This unique microstructure attributed from TiN nanoparticles anchored by carbon could support the structural volume during cycling. This work highlights the method superiority of TiN prepared via a molten salt synthesis strategy as an anode for LIBs with impressive rate performances.