Molten salt disproportionation synthesis of nanosized VN wrapped onto carbon fibers with enhanced lithium-ion storage capabilities

capacities Nanosized vanadium nitride (VN) wrapped onto carbon fibers was synthesized by a molten salt disproportionation synthesis method at 800–1,000 ºC, using V and melamine as raw materials in molten (Li,K)Cl salts. Molten salts could accelerate the formation of nanosized VN at a lower temperature, which is possibly associated with the disproportionation reaction of V-ions on g-C 3 N 4 surface. VN displays remarkable application prospects as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), delivering a reversible discharge capacity of 320.1 mAh·g −1 at 1.0 A·g −1 after 500 cycles and 669.4 mAh·g −1 at 0.1 A·g −1 after 230 cycles without capacity attenuation. Such a remarkable cyclability of VN is attributed to the increased surface area and superior structural stability, induced by the dispersion of VN nanoparticles onto high-conductive carbon fibrous network. Li-ions storage mechanism of VN is pseudocapacitive, accompanied with the conversion-type electrochemcial reaction of VN with Li-ions during the de-/lithiation process.