Li3VO4: an insertion anode material for magnesium ion batteries with high specific capacity

•LVO was developed as an insertion anode material for magnesium ion batteries.•The LVO/C delivered a high discharge capacity of 318 mAh  g−1 at 20 mA g−1.•The insertion of Mg2+ into LVO was proved by element mapping, ex-situ XRD and XPS results.

Li3VO4 (LVO) is a promising insertion-type anode material for lithium ion batteries (LIBs) while its electrochemical performance in magnesium ion batteries (MIBs) is rarely reported. Here, mesoporous LVO/Carbon (LVO/C) hollow spheres are synthesized by a facile spray-drying method and their electrochemical performance as Mg2+ insertion-host material is investigated for the first time. Galvanostatic charge-discharge results of LVO/C show no obvious platform in the potential range of 0.5∼2.5 V vs. Mg2+/Mg. The LVO/C delivers a high discharge capacity of 318 mAh g−1 at first cycle and exhibits good cycle performance. The electrochemical intercalation process is proved by element mapping, ex-situ X-ray Powder diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. Our results show that LVO is a promising anode material for MIBs.

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