Secondary lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) attracted tremendous interest due to their high energy density, good cycle life and efficiency compared to Pb-acid, Ni-MH and Ni-Cd batteries. Natural/ synthetic graphite is commonly used as anode for Li-ion batteries due to its low volume change during charge-discharge process. However, graphite anode is not suitable for a number of high energy/ power applications due to low specific capacity (< 372 mAh/g), and sluggish diffusion of Li-ions into the individual graphene layers. Lithium intercalation of graphite anodes at lower potentials (<0.3V vs Li+/Li) also causes Li-dendrite growth, and challenges the overall safety of Li-ion batteries. These drawbacks of graphite anodes triggered extensive research focused on the development of alternative high-performance anode materials.  Conventional Li-ion storage through conversion and alloying reaction of high capacity anodes (Co3O4, WO3, etc.) usually resulted in severe capacity fading due to low electronic conductivity and severe volume change leading to the pulverization of electrodes. 

In order to mitigate these issues, we have developed high capacity nanostructured anodes (1D and 2D morphologies) for ultrafast-charging Li-ion batteries. Special features of the anodes resulted in pseudocapacitive Li-ion storage (extrinsic pseudocapacitance).