Constructing Highly Graphitized Carbon-Wrapped Li₃VO₄ Nanoparticles with Hierarchically Porous Structure as a Long Life and High Capacity Anode for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Li₃VO₄ nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in a continuous, highly graphitized carbon network with an interconnected hierarchically porous structure (HP-Li₃VO₄/C) were prepared using a facile, green freeze-drying method followed by in situ carbonizing. Because of its unique microstructure, the resultant HP-Li₃VO₄/C exhibits excellent lithium storage performance in terms of specific capacity, cycling stability, and rate capability when used as an anode material in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Specifically, it delivers an extremely high capacity of 381 mAh g^-1 for up to 300 cycles at 0.2 A g^-1, and even at a rate as high as 4 A g^-1, a high reversible capacity of 275 mAh g^-1 can be retained after testing for 500 cycles. This excellent electrochemical performance can be attributed to Li₃VO₄ NPs wrapped with highly graphitized carbon conductive framework and hierarchically porous structure. This work may offer a new methodology for the preparation of other electrode materials for LIBs.