Mesoporous vanadium oxide nanostructures: Hydrothermal synthesis, optical and electrochemical properties

VO2(B) nanoplates and nanorods have been successfully synthesized via a hydrothermal process by using V2O5 as vanadium source and HO–(CH2)n–OH (with n=3 and 5) as reducing and structure directing agents. The morphology, the structure, the crystallinity and the composition of the materials were investigated by X-ray diffraction (DRX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms respectively have been used. The optical properties of the as-synthesized VO2(B) were investigated by UV–visible absorption and photoluminescence. Electrochemical measurements have revealed reversible redox behavior with charge–discharge cycling corresponding to the reversible lithium intercalation/deintercalation.