High performance of solvothermally prepared VO2(B) as an anode for aqueous rechargeable lithium batteries

Abstract

The VO2(B) was synthesized via a simple solvothermal route at 160 °C in ethanol. The initial discharge capacity of the VO2(B) anode, in saturated aqueous solution of LiNO3, was 177 mAh g-1 at a current rate of 50 mA g-1. After 50 cycles, the capacity fade was 4%, but from 20th-50th cycle, no capacity drop was observed. The VO2(B) showed very good cyclability at a current rate of even 1000 mA g-1 with initial discharge capacity of 92 mAh g-1. The excellent electrochemical performance of VO2(B) was attributed to the stability of micro-nano structures to a repeated intercalation/deintercalation process, very good electronic conductivity as well as the very low charge transfer resistance in an aqueous electrolyte.