Reduced graphene oxide enwrapped vanadium pentoxide nanorods as cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries

•rGO enwrapped V2O5 nanorods composites were prepared for the first time.•The electrochemical properties were studied as cathode materials.•rGO/V2O5 composites show excellent electrochemical lithium storage activity.•The structure-component-property relationships were discussed.

Novel reduced graphene oxide/vanadium pentoxide (rGO/V2O5) nanocomposites were fabricated by coassembly between negatively charged graphene oxide and positively charged oxide nanorods. A series of characterization including X-ray diffraction, Raman spectrum, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy indicated that the V2O5 nanorods with the width of about 50 nm and the length from a few hundred nanometers to several micrometers were enwrapped by rGO layers to form core–shell nanostructures. Compared with the pristine V2O5 nanorods, the as-prepared rGO/V2O5 nanocomposites with 13 wt% rGO showed a significantly enhanced electrochemical performance with high reversible capacities, good cycling stabilities and excellent rate capabilities as a cathode material for lithium batteries. The rGO/V2O5 nanocomposites electrodes delivered a stable discharge capacity around 140 mA h g−1 at a current density of 150 mA g−1 for 100 cycles in the voltage range of 2.5–4.0 V. Furthermore, the nanocomposites electrodes delivered discharge capacities of 287 mA h g−1 and 207 mA h g−1 during the first and 50th cycles in the voltage range of 2.0–4.0 V at a current density of 100 mA g−1, respectively. The as-synthesized nanocomposites are promising candidates for electrical energy storage applications.