ZrO2-coated Li3V2(PO4)3/C nanocomposite: A high-voltage cathode for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries with remarkable cycling performance

In this study, we show that the poor cycling performance which seriously hinders the application of Li3V2(PO4)3/C for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries is overcome by amorphous ZrO2 nano-coating. The ZrO2-coated Li3V2(PO4)3/C was synthesized via a conventional solid-state method followed by the application of wet coating. The crystalline structure, morphology and electrochemical performance of the as-synthesized samples were investigated by XRD, SEM, TEM, EDS, galvanostatic charge/discharge and EIS measurements. Compared with the pristine Li3V2(PO4)3/C, the structure of ZrO2-coated Li3V2(PO4)3/C sample had no change, and the existence of ZrO2 nano-coating effectively enhanced the cycling performance. From the above results, it is believed that the improved cycling performance is attributed to the ability of ZrO2 layer in preventing direct contact of the active material with the electrolyte resulting in a decrease of electrolyte decomposition reactions.