Nano-Li3V2(PO4)3/C Synthesized by Thermal Polymerization Method as Cathode Material for Lithium Ion Batteries

A nano-Li3V2(PO4)3/C powder was successfully prepared by a thermal polymerization method. The particle sizes of the intermediate product powder and the final product Li3V2(PO4)3 are all less than 200 nm. The carbon is partially coated on the surface of Li3V2(PO4)3 particles and the rest exists between particles with a total carbon content of 4.6wt%. This nano-Li3V2(PO4)3/C sample shows a discharge capacity of 124 mAh/g without capacity fading after 100 cycles at 0.1 C in the voltage rang of 3.0–4.3 V. Excellent rate performance is also achieved with a capacity of 80 mAh/g at 20 C in 3.0–4.3 V and 100 mAh/g at 10 C in 3.0–4.8 V. This study suggests that the thermal polymerization method is suitable to synthesize nano-Li3V2(PO4)3/C materials.