Electrochemical performance of the nanostructured biotemplated V2O5 cathode for lithium-ion batteries

We report for the first time fabrication of nanostructured V2O5 thin film cathodes for lithium-ion batteries using Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) particles as biological templates. TMV-templated V2O5 electrodes showed enhanced electrochemical performance compared to electrodes with a planar configuration demonstrating high specific capacity, excellent rate capability and cycling stability. A specific capacity of 12 μAh cm−2 was achieved for the TMV-templated electrode with a V2O5 layer thickness of ∼30 nm, which is 7–8 times higher than the specific capacity of planar V2O5 electrodes of the same thickness. Higher areal specific capacities are achievable by increasing active battery material loading: electrodes with twice higher V2O5 loading delivered capacities of ∼25 μAh cm−2. Development of the cathode is an important step towards the fabrication of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries with superior virus-templated electrodes for high performance electrochemical energy storage.

► Ni/V2O5 nanocomposite cathodes were fabricated using Tobacco mosaic virus templates.
► Li+ insertion/extraction was investigated and compared to the planar V2O5 cathodes.
► TMV-templated V2O5 cathodes demonstrated high capacities and excellent cycling stability.