Lithium Polyacrylate as Lithium and Carbon Source in the Synthesis of Li₃VO₄ for High‐Rate and Long‐Life Li‐Ion Batteries

Abstract

Li3VO4 is a promising anode material for use in lithium‐ion batteries, however, the conventional synthesis methods for Li3VO4 anodes involve the separate use of lithium and carbon sources, resulting in inefficient contact and low crystalline quality. Herein, we utilized lithium polyacrylate (LiPAA) as a dual‐functional source and employed an in‐situ polymerization followed by a spray‐drying method to synthesize Li3VO4. LiPAA serves a dual purpose, acting as both a lithium source to improve the crystal process and a carbon source to confine the particle size within a desired volume during high‐temperature treatment. Additionally, the in‐situ synthesis of a porous carbon decorating skeleton prevents the growth and agglomeration of Li3VO4 particles, and provides abundant ion/electron diffusion channels and contact areas. Based on the novel synthesis route and the constructed primary‐secondary structure, the Li3VO4 anodes obtained in this study exhibit an impressive capacity of 596.2 mAh g‐1. Moreover, they demonstrate enhanced rate performance over 600 cycles during 10 periods of rate testing, as well as a remarkably long lifespan of 5000 cycles at high currents. The utilization of LiPAA as a dual‐functional source represents a broad approach that holds great potential for future research on high‐performance electrodes requiring both lithium and carbon sources.