Mo-doped V2O5 hierarchical nanorod/nanoparticle core/shell porous microspheres with improved performance for cathode of lithium-ion battery

Mo-doped V2O5 hierarchical nanorod/nanoparticle core/shell porous microspheres (MVHPMs) were prepared via a simple hydrothermal approach using ammonium metavanadate and ammonium molybdate as precursors followed by a thermal annealing process. The samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, EDS, and XPS carefully; it confirmed that porous microspheres with uniform Mo doping in the V2O5 matrix were obtained, and it contains an inner core self-assembled with 1D nanorods and outer shell consisting of nanoparticles. A plausible growth mechanism of Mo-doped V2O5 (Mo-V2O5) porous microspheres is suggested. The unique microstructure made the Mo-V2O5 hierarchical microspheres a good cathode material for Li-ion battery. The results indicate the synthesized Mo-V2O5 hierarchical microspheres exhibit well-improved electrochemical performance compared to the undoped samples. It delivers a high initial reversible capacity of 282 mAh g−1 at 0.2 C, 208 mAh g−1 at 2 C, and 111 mAh g−1 at 10 C, and it also exhibits good cycling stabilities; a capacity of 144 mAh g−1 is obtained after 200 cycles at 6 C with a capacity retention of > 82%, which is much high than that of pure V2O5 (95 mAh g−1 with a capacity retention of 72%).