Atomic Mo-NC-sourced robust MoO3/C nanocomposite for high-performance Li-ion storage

Molybdenum oxide (MoO3) is an attractive anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs); however, its low electrical conductivity, large volume expansion after lithiation, and slow Li-ion diffusion kinetics severely limit its practical applications. Here, ultrafine MoO3 nanoparticles (NPs) (10–15 nm) are synthesized from heavily Mo/N-doped carbonaceous precursors, resulting in MoO3 NPs confined in an N-doped carbon network. This design allows fast electron conduction and short Li-ion diffusion paths; meanwhile, abundant N species and O vacancies on the MoO3 surface lower the Li-ion adsorption barrier and together contribute to the durable Li-ion storage at high current rates. Notably, the obtained nanocomposite NC-MoO3 exhibits a high capacity of 1362 mA h g−1 (0.1 A g−1) and maintains a reversible capacity of 394 mA h g−1 at 10.0 A g−1. A coin-type full LiFePO4//NC-MoO3-400 cell obtains a large specific capacity of 81 mA h g−1 at 5 C. Our work inspires the design and confinement synthesis of other transition metal oxides embedded in conducting carbon networks for practical LIB applications.