In
this work, a binder-free, self-supported, three-dimensional (3D),
porous Li3VO4 (LVO) and the carbon-coated Li3VO4(LVO@C) anode materials are prepared on a Ni-foam
disc by the electrostatic spray deposition technique. The deposited
materials exhibit a unique morphology with sponge-like 3D porous hierarchical
architecture. The novel structure can significantly enhance the surface
area of the materials, relax the stress/strain of Li+ insertion/deinsertion,
and obviously shorten the diffusion path of lithium ions in the charger/discharge
process. The porous nickel-foam substrate can also provide an electric
transport network and structural support to the electrode, resulting
in very excellent rating and cycling performance. In addition, the
coated carbon network can further facilitate the electric transport
of the material. As a result, both electrodes show outstanding electrochemical
properties, especially the LVO@C electrode. The discharge capacities
of LVO@C are 508.8, 424.1, 405, 377.5, and 340.1 mA h g–1 at 0.5, 5, 10, 20, and 30 C, respectively, and the capacity can
persist at 399 mA h g–1 without any capacity fading
even after 1000 cycles at the current density of 10 C. The excellent
properties make these LVO-based materials, especially the carbon-coated
LVO composite, a promising anode candidate for the low-cost and high-performance
LIBs.