from the larger surface area. The former makes full Li diffusion
possible within a short storage time, i.e., at high charge/
discharge rates, and the latter greatly reduces the specific
current density of the active material. For example, the abovementioned
nanometer-sized rutile TiO2 with a specific surface
area of ca. 110m2 g1 also exhibits an excellent high rate
performance (100mAh g1 at 10C and 70mAh g1 at 30 C,
where 1C¼336mAg1), which makes it a promising anode
material for high-power lithium-ion batteries.[13] These findings
have encouraged people to reinvestigate materials that were
thought to be electrochemically inactive in bulk form due to
poor electronic and Liþ conductivity, but that could present
improved electrochemical performance at the nanoscale. More
examples should present themselves in due course.