title: Graphene-modified nanostructured vanadium pentoxide hybrids with extraordinary electrochemical performance for Li-ion batteries.
abstract: The long-standing issues of low intrinsic electronic conductivity, slow lithium-ion diffusion and irreversible phase transitions on deep discharge prevent the high specific capacity/energy (443 mAh g(-1) and 1,550 Wh kg(-1)) vanadium pentoxide from being used as the cathode material in practical battery applications. Here we develop a method to incorporate graphene sheets into vanadium pentoxide nanoribbons via the sol-gel process. The resulting graphene-modified nanostructured vanadium pentoxide hybrids contain only 2 wt. % graphene, yet exhibits extraordinary electrochemical performance: a specific capacity of 438 mAh g(-1), approaching the theoretical value (443 mAh g(-1)), a long cyclability and significantly enhanced rate capability. Such performance is the result of the combined effects of the graphene on structural stability, electronic conduction, vanadium redox reaction and lithium-ion diffusion supported by various experimental studies. This method provides a new avenue to create nanostructured metal oxide/graphene materials for advanced battery applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue School of Engineering and Technology, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue School of Engineering and Technology, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA.
authors.forename: Zhe-Fei
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue School of Engineering and Technology, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA.
authors.forename: Yadong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA.
authors.forename: Hangyu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: X-ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Lemont, Illinois 60439, USA.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: X-ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Lemont, Illinois 60439, USA.
authors.forename: Cheng-Jun
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Chemical Science and Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Lemont, Illinois 60439, USA.
authors.forename: Wenquan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA.
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: 1] School of Materials Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA [2] Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA.
authors.forename: Lia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stanciu
authors.affiliation: Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, USA.
authors.forename: Eric A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Stach
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue School of Engineering and Technology, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xie