Synthesis of dandelion-like V2O3/C composite with bicontinuous 3D hierarchical structures as an anode for high performance lithium ion batteries

The dandelion-like V2O3/C composite was synthesized by a simple and facile template-free solvothermal method followed by a suitable thermal treatment. The dandelion-like V2O3/C composite is constructed by bicontinuous 3D hierarchical structures, which are formed by interconnected nanoparticles and interconnected pores, respectively. Moreover, the surface of interconnected nanoparticles is uniformly coated with an ultrathin carbon layer. Upon evaluation as an anode material for LIBs, the as-synthesized product shows superior electrochemical performance. Under the current density of 0.1 A g−1, the specific discharge capacity of V2O3/C composite is 737 mA h g−1 after 100 cycles. Moreover, after 1000 cycles at a high current density of 2 A g−1, the sample exhibits a discharge capacity of 315 mA h g−1 which is 94% of the first-cycle discharge capacity. This excellent electrochemical performance can be ascribed to its unique hierarchical structure with 3D interconnected nanopores and uniform carbon coating.