Zn3V2O8 porous morphology derived through a facile and green approach as an excellent anode for high-energy lithium ion batteries

•Zn3V2O8 porous sheets morphology are synthesized by facile and green method.•It shows excellent structure and electrochemical stability for lithium ion batteries.•It delivers specific capacity of 1128 mA h g−1 after 200 cycles at 0.3 A g−1.•It shows high capacity of 370 mAh g−1 over 2000 cycles at 5 A g−1.

Zn3V2O8 (ZVO) with sheet-like morphology is synthesized by a simple green precipitation technique via a metal-organic framework (MOF) intermediate for use as an anode in high energy lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). This sheet-like morphology, enriched with highly porous features, is evident from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and surface area measurements. When tested as a lithium half-cell electrode, the ZVO porous sheets delivered a reversible specific capacity of 1228 mA h g−1 at a current density of 0.3 A g−1 for 200 cycles. Interestingly, on applying two different high current densities of 1 and 3 A g−1, this porous ZVO material registered high capacities of 665 and 510 mA h g−1, initially for 30 and 50 cycles, respectively. On reducing the current density to 0.5 and 1 A g−1 for the two instances, both sustained stable capacities of 906 and 687 mA h g−1 in the 160th and 600th cycles, respectively. The fact that these porous sheets maintained a stable capacity as high as 370 mA h g−1 at the high applied current density of 5 A g−1 after 2000 discharge/charge cycles reveals the structural stability of the ZVO prepared by a simple green precipitation technique.

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