V2O5-Coated TiO2 Nanorod Electrodes

Abstract

V2O5-coated TiO2 nanorods with a shell thickness of 6.5 nm were prepared by coating V2O5 on anatase TiO2 nanowires. These coated nanorods demonstrated a superior rate capability and capacity at higher C rates with respect to the TiO2 nanowires. The volumetric capacity of the core-shell nanorods were 426 and 329 mAh/cm(3) at 0.5 and 20C rates, respectively, while those of the TiO2 nanowires were 246 and 128 mAh/cm(3), respectively. The enhanced electrochemical properties were due to both a fully reversible phase transition of the nanoscale-V2O5 shell to the crystalline omega-LixV2O5 phase, in contrast to bulk V2O5 to the amorphous phase and its faster pathways for Li ions and electrons into the TiO2 core.