title: Biochemistry-Enabled 3D Foams for Ultrafast Battery Cathodes.
abstract: Metal vanadium phosphates (MVP), particularly Li3V2(PO4)3 (LVP) and Na3V2(PO4)3 (NVP), are regarded as the next-generation cathode materials in lithium/sodium ion batteries. These materials possess desirable properties such as high stability, theoretical capacity, and operating voltages. Yet, low electrical/ionic conductivities of LVP and NVP have limited their applications in demanding devices such as electric vehicles. In this work, a novel synthesis route for the preparation of LVP/NVP micro/mesoporous 3D foams via assembly of elastin-like polypeptides is demonstrated. The as-synthesized MVP 3D foams consist of microporous networks of mesoporous nanofibers, where the surfaces of individual fibers are covered with MVP nanocrystallites. TEM images further reveal that LVP/NVP nanoparticles are about 100-200 nm in diameter, with each particle enveloped by a 5 nm thick carbon shell. The MVP 3D foams prepared in this work exhibit ultrafast rate capabilities (79 mA h g(-1) at 100C and 66 mA h g(-1) at 200C for LVP 3D foams; 73 mA h g(-1) at 100C and 51 mA h g(-1) at 200C for NVP 3D foams) and excellent cycle performance (almost 100% performance retention after 1000 cycles at 100C); their properties are far superior compared to current state-of-the-art active materials.
authors: §Advanced Environmental Biotechnology Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, 1 CleanTech Loop, 637141, Singapore.
authors: Yanping
authors: Y
authors: Zhou
authors: †School of Energy and Environment, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, Anhui 243002, China.
authors: Xianhong
authors: X
authors: Rui
authors: Wenping
authors: W
authors: Sun
authors: Zhichuan
authors: Z
authors: Xu
authors: §Advanced Environmental Biotechnology Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, 1 CleanTech Loop, 637141, Singapore.
authors: Yan
authors: Y
authors: Zhou
authors: §Advanced Environmental Biotechnology Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, 1 CleanTech Loop, 637141, Singapore.
authors: Wun Jern
authors: WJ
authors: Ng
authors: Qingyu
authors: Q
authors: Yan
authors: Eileen
authors: E
authors: Fong
keywords: 3D nanostructures; elastin-like polypeptides; lithium ion battery; metal vanadium phosphates; sodium ion battery