In-situ hydrothermal synthesis of graphene woven VO₂ nanoribbons with improved cycling performance

To overcome the problems of vanadium dissolution and the higher charge transfer resistance that results from it, VO₂/graphene composite has been synthesized by an in-situ hydrothermal process directly from graphene oxide and V2O5, and characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, atomic force microscope, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. Electrochemical tests showthat theVO ₂/graphene composite features high discharge capacity (380mAhg ^-1) and 99% capacity retention after 50 cycles. It has very lowresistance, only 67% of that of pure VO₂, indicating the enhancement of electronic conductivity. Carbon dispersed in the electrode material can provide a pathway for electron transport, resulting in improvement of the electronic conductivity. Graphene woven VO₂ nanoribbons prevent the agglomeration of VO₂ nanoribbons, meanwhile graphene and the VO₂ nanoribbons together form a porous network in the random hybrid composite that can be filled with electrolyte, resulting in superior performance and enhanced reversible capacity in comparison with the pure VO ₂. Thus, this work provides a facile route to synthesize VO ₂/graphene composite which shows excellent electrochemical performance and is a potential material for lithium ion battery.