Chemical lithiation studies on combustion synthesized V₂O ₅ cathodes with full cell application for lithium ion batteries

Fundamental studies on Li-intercalation into layered vanadium pentoxide (V₂O₅), synthesized by urea combustion method, have been successfully carried out by chemical lithiation using butyl lithium at various concentrations. Morphological and structural changes during chemical lithiation are analyzed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffractionmeasurements, respectively. Furthermore, chemical states and elemental concentration of these lithiated V₂O₅ phases were elucidated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma. Electrochemical studies via potentiostatic and galvanostatic modes show that the chemically-lithiated V₂O₅ phases undergo similar redox behavior as bare V₂O₅ at respective discharge-states. The electrochemical studies confirmed the occurrence of various phase transformations at various levels of discharge relating to both reduction of vanadium (V⁵⁺) and intercalation of lithium ions in V₂O₅. Finally, the full-cell comprising of lithiated V₂O₅ cathode and spinel Li₄Ti₅O ₁₂ anode is demonstrated to study their compatibility toward insertion type anodes, delivering the reversible capacity of 80 mAh g ^-1.