Ultrafast Synthesis of Calcium Vanadate for Superior Aqueous Calcium-Ion Battery

Recently, multivalent aqueous calcium-ion batteries (CIBs) have attracted considerable attention as a possible alternative to Li-ion batteries. However, traditional Ca-ion storage materials show either limited rate capabilities and poor cycle life or insufficient specific capacity. Here, we tackle these limitations by exploring materials having a large interlayer distance to achieve decent specific capacities and one-dimensional architecture with adequate Ca-ion passages that enable rapid reversible (de)intercalation processes. In this work, we report the high-yield, rapid, and low-cost synthesis of 1D metal oxides MV(3)O(8) (M = Li, K), CaV(2)O(6), and CaV(6)O(16)·7H(2)O (CVO) via a molten salt method. Firstly, using 1D CVO as electrode materials, we show high capacity 205 mA h g(−1), long cycle life (>97% capacity retention after 200 cycles at 3.0 C), and high-rate performance (117 mA h g(−1) at 12 C) for Ca-ion (de)intercalation. This work represents a step forward for the development of the molten salt method to synthesize nanomaterials and to help pave the way for the future growth of Ca-ion batteries.