Carbon cloth-wrapped V2O3 micro/nano-structures to enable long-cycle life anode materials for Li/Na-ion batteries

The commercially available graphite anode is widely used due to its cost effectiveness and long cycle life. However, the theoretical specific capacity of graphite is too low to meet the increasing demands of producing higher energy and power densities devices. Consequently, developing novel anode materials with enhanced capacity for various battery systems is essential. In this study, a carbon cloth-wrapped V 2 O 3 micro/nano-structures(V 2 O 3 @C-MNS) is prepared via a facial hydrothermal process followed by subsequent high temperature heat treatment. The conductive carbon cloth can not only compensate for the poor electrical conductivity of V 2 O 3 but also mitigate the volume variety during the charge/discharge processes. Moreover, the unique micro/nano-structures characterized by large specific surface area and porous feature can also promote the cycle and rate performance. As a result, the V 2 O 3 @C-MNS anode exhibit 946 mAh g −1 after 300 cycles at 0.1 ​A ​g −1 for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and 281 mAh g −1 after 500 cycles at 0.1 ​A ​g −1 for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). This work provides a simple and effective strategy to synthesize higher performance anode material for both LIBs and SIBs, offering valuable insights for the development of advanced electrode materials across various battery systems.