Facile synthesis, structure and electrochemical performance of RbV3O8/ketjenblack as cathode material for lithium-ion batteries

Abstract Carbon-based composite RbV3O8/ketjenblack materials are successfully fabricated via a simple and environmental friendly synthesis procedure using relatively low temperature (180°C) and air atmosphere, without the addition of hydrothermal route or acid solution. The phase identification and the effect of ketjenblack on the morphology of the samples are investigated by XRD, SEM and TEM images. The reversible specific capacities of RbV3O8/ketjenblack increase with increasing ketjenblack content and then decreasing with the ketjenblack content reaching 10%, and RbV3O8/ketjenblack 5% exhibiting the relatively complete RbV3O8 2D nanostructure coated with ketjenblack particles evenly present the excellent reversible specific capacity of 240.6 mA h g−1 and good cycle performance. In situ XRD and ex situ XPS are utilized to reveal the electrochemical reaction mechanism of the RbV3O8/ketjenblack cathode adequately.