Hierarchical Zn 3 V 2 O 8 microspheres interconnected via conductive carbon nanotubes as promising anode materials for lithium‐ion battery applications

Abstract Zn 3 V 2 O 8 was considered as a promising anode material for lithium‐ion battery (LIB), because of its high theoretical specific capacity, environmental friendliness, and ease of availability. However, the large volume change and low electronic conductivity of Zn 3 V 2 O 8 in repeated charge/discharge cycles have severely limited its applications. To solve the above issues, hierarchical Zn 3 V 2 O 8 microspheres assembled by two‐dimensional (2D) nanosheets were successfully synthesized, and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were further introduced to cross‐link the Zn 3 V 2 O 8 microspheres. The interconnected nature of the three‐dimensional (3D) conducting network and the special hierarchical morphology were beneficial for improving the stability and conductivity of the composite, leading to the reduction of the impedance and a significant improvement of the electrochemical performance. The reversible capacity of the as‐prepared composite can achieve 1049.5 mAh·g −1 at a current density of 0.2 A·g −1 with a capacity retention of ~ 81% after 100 cycles. It is suggested that morphology modulation coupled with interconnecting CNT network is an effective method to boost the electrochemical performance of the anode materials for lithium‐ion batteries.