Coral-like V2O5 nanowhiskers as high-capacity cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries

Coral-like V2O5 nanowhiskers were prepared by a direct electrolytic synthesis method. The as-prepared V2O5 nanowhiskers are approximately 1 μm in length and 50–60 nm in width, which was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy analysis. When applied as cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries and combined with an ionic liquid electrolyte, the V2O5 nanowhiskers exhibited an initial capacity of 461 mAh g−1, which is a significant enhancement compared to commercial V2O5 powders. The high rate performance of the V2O5 nanowhiskers was further improved at an elevated working temperature of 50 °C. The V2O5 nanowhiskers demonstrated a high specific capacity and an excellent high-rate performance at elevated temperatures.