Effect of polyethylene glycol on vanadium oxide nanotubes in lithium-ion batteries

•V2O5 and PEG surfactant V2O5 nanotubes are synthesized by hydrothermal method.•The capacity retention of 0.2 mol% PEG surfactant V2O5 nanotubes is 42.98%.•The specific capacity of (PEG)0.2V2O5 nanotubes is 204 mAhg−1.

Vanadium oxide (V2O5) nanotubes and polyethylene glycol (PEG) surfactant V2O5 nanotubes were synthesized using simple hydrothermal process. The electrochemical performance of these nanostructures was investigated for the application of Li batteries. Microstructure and morphology of the samples were studied by XRD, FTIR, FE-SEM and TEM analysis. The results showed that the H atoms of PEG are hydrogen bonded with the O atoms in VO bonds of the V2O5, which effectively shielded against electrostatic interaction between the V2O5 interlayer and Li+ ions. The battery of V2O5 nanotubes electrode showed initial specific capacity 192 mAhg−1, whereas the PEG surfactant V2O5 nanotubes exhibited 204 mAhg−1. It was found that PEG surfactant V2O5 nanotubes material showed high specific capacity at initial stages besides better stability was exhibited at higher cycle numbers when compared to V2O5 nanotubes. The cyclic performance of the PEG surfactant material seems to be improved with the role of polymeric component due to its surface reaction with V2O5 nanotubes during the hydrothermal synthesis.

Graphical abstractThe charge–discharge characteristic curves of (a) V2O5 nanotubes and (b) 0.2 mol% PEG surfactant V2O5 nanotubes.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide