Facile synthesis of β-AgVO3 nanorods as cathode for primary lithium batteries

β-AgVO3 nanorods have been successfully synthesized by a soft chemistry route, followed by calcination at different temperatures without templates. The crystallinity of the products increases with calcination temperatures. The β-AgVO3 nanorods fabricated at 400 °C are very uniform and well-dispersed, with the diameter ranging from 70 nm to 300 nm, the length of which can be as long as several micrometres. The electrochemical measurements indicate that the β-AgVO3 nanorods deliver high initial discharge capacities at various current densities and shows good rate capability. The superior electrochemical properties of β-AgVO3 nanorods suggest they are promising cathode materials for implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs).

► β-AgVO3 nanorods have been synthesized by a facile one-step route.
► The product has a high initial discharge capacity and high-rate discharge ability.
► The excellent electrochemical performance is attributed to particles small in size.