Ultrafine MoO3 nanoparticles embedded in porous carbon nanofibers as anodes for high-performance lithium-ion batteries

Ultrafine MoO3 nanoparticles uniformly embedded in porous carbon nanofiber (PCNF) anodes synthesized by electrospinning are comprehensively investigated. At a carbonization temperature of 750 degrees C, PMMA is decomposed to form a worm-like porous carbon matrix, and ultrafine MoO3 nanoparticles (3-5 nm) are uniformly dispersed in carbon nanofibers. Electrochemical tests show that the optimized MoO3/PCNF material displays excellent capacity of 795.8 mA h g(-1) after 100 cycles at a current density of 200 mA g(-1) and also shows excellent rate performance at a high current density. The excellent performance is observed because MoO3 with ultrafine crystalline particles shortens the transmission path of Li+ and porous carbon nanofibers effectively relieve volume stress caused by Li+ insertion. This study presents a facile and cost-effective approach for the synthesis of high-performance electrode materials through nanostructuring and porous design.