| Abstract Scope |
Synthetic strategies for the improvement in electronic conductivities and electrochemical stabilities of transition metal oxide cathodes are required for next-generation, high-performance battery systems. The chemical pre-intercalation approach, consisting of a sequence of a sol-gel process, extended aging, and a hydrothermal treatment, is a versatile synthesis technique that allows for the incorporation of polar species between the layers of transition metal oxides. Here, formation of a layered 2D δ-CxV2O5·nH2O heterostructure occurs via chemical pre-intercalation of dopamine molecules between bilayers of vanadium oxide followed by the hydrothermal treatment of the precipitate, leading to carbonization of the organic molecules. The improved electrochemical performance, in both extended cycling and rate capability experiments, of the 2D δ-CxV2O5·nH2O heterostructure electrodes in Li-ion cells is ascribed to the intermittent formation of carbon layers within the bilayered structure, which leads to increased electronic conductivity and improved structural stability of the heterostructure compared to the reference δ-V2O5·nH2O electrodes. |