Exceptional electrochemical performance of two-year aged V2O5 nanowires for lithium storage

•The aging effect in V2O5 nanowires (a-VONs) for lithium storage was investigated.•The a-VONs as an electrode material exhibit the exceptional lithium storage behavior.•High conductivity and structural modulation are the reason for the high electrochemical performances.

Vanadium pentoxide nanowires (VONs) with a uniform thickness of 15 nm were synthesized to use as an electrode for reversible lithium storage. The VONs after two years of aging time exhibit a high reversible lithium storage capacity and an excellent rate capability at a current density of 37 mAg−1 and 74–740 mAg−1, respectively, in the test voltage range of 0.1–3.0 V versus Li/Li+. Moreover, the VONs show a constant reversible specific capacity ∼945 mAhg−1 after 50 cycles at 74 mAg−1. The good electrochemical performances of VONs are attributed to the robust interlayer structure and improved electrical conductivity. These aging effects in VONs can be exploited to fabricate one-dimensional electrode materials for high-performance Li-ion batteries.