Morphological and Chemical Tuning of High-Energy-Density Metal Oxides for Lithium Ion Battery Electrode Applications

Metal oxides represent a set of promising materials for use as electrodes within lithium ion batteries, but unfortunately, these tend to suffer from limitations associated with poor ionic and electron conductivity as well as low cycling performance. Hence, to achieve the goal of creating economical, relatively less toxic, thermally stable, and simultaneously high-energy-density electrode materials, we have put forth a number of targeted strategies, aimed at rationally improving upon electrochemical performance. Specifically, in this Perspective, we discuss the precise roles and effects of controllably varying not only (i) morphology but also (ii) chemistry as a means of advancing, ameliorating, and fundamentally tuning the development and evolution of Fe3O4, Li4Ti5O12, TiO2, and LiV3O8 as viable and ubiquitous energy storage materials.