Cerium vanadate/carbon nanotube hybrid composite nanostructures as a high-performance anode material for lithium-ion batteries

The pristine CeVO4 and CeVO4/CNT hybrid composite nanostructured samples were facilely synthesized using a simple silicone oil-bath method. From the X-ray diffraction results, the formation of tetragonal CeVO4 with an additional minor phase of V2O5 was identified. When investigated as an anode material for lithium (Li)-ion batteries, the CeVO4/CNT hybrid composite nanostructure (HCNS) electrode demonstrated improved Li storage performance over the pristine CeVO4. The Li insertion/de-insertion electrochemical reaction with the CeVO4 was analyzed on the basis of cyclic voltammetry study. The cyclic voltammetry analysis revealed that the three-step reduction of V5+ to V3+, V3+ to V2+, and V2+ to V+ processes is involved and among them, only V5+ to V3+ is reversible during the Li-ion insertion into CeVO4. The CeVO4/CNT HCNS electrode exhibited a discharge capacity as high as 443 mA h g(-1) (capacity retention of 96.3%) over 200 cycles at 100 mA g(-1), whereas the pristine CeVO4 is limited to 138 mA h g(-1) (capacity retention of 48%). Even at a high current density of 500 mA g(-1), the CeVO4/CNT HCNS electrode delivered an excellent reversible capacity of 586.82 mA h g(-1) after 1200 cycles. (C) 2020 Science Press and Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. and Science Press. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The CeVO4/CNT hybrid composite nanostructure electrode showed superior lithium storage performance compared to pristine CeVO4.