Facile one-step fabrication of Li4Ti5O12 coatings by suspension plasma spraying

• Facile single-step processing of LTO by suspension plasma spraying demonstrated. • Suspension can be conveniently prepared using commercial LTO powder. • Spray parameters significantly influence LTO coating deposition. • Although partially delithiation is noted, LTO spinel phase largely retained. • Galvanostatic cycling of the coating showed the expected potential reaction. Spinel Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 (LTO) is a promising anode material for solid state thin film batteries (SSTB) due to its almost-zero volume change and promising Li-ion mobility. However, preparing LTO anodes for SSTB demands tedious vacuum-based processing steps that are not cost effective. In this context, the present study embarks on evaluating the versatile suspension plasma spraying (SPS) approach to fabricate LTO coatings without using any binder. The microstructure and stoichiometry of the fabricated LTO coatings developed through the SPS route reveals retention of ∼76 wt.% of the spinel LTO from the starting feedstock, with minor amounts of rutile and anatase TiO 2 . The SPS experiments yielded varying thickness build up rates of the LTO coatings depending on the processing parameters adopted. The electrochemical data of the produced LTO based electrode tested in a half-cell through galvanostatic cycling show reversible lithiation and delithiation at expected potential, thereby validating the promise of the SPS technique for potential fabrication of SSTB components once fully optimized.