Exploration of VPO 4 as a new anode material for sodium-ion batteries.

Carbon-coated VPO4 nanoparticles embedded into a porous carbon matrix were synthesized via a facile sol-gel approach and investigated as a novel polyanion anode material for sodium-ion batteries. The VPO4 @carbon anode demonstrates excellent rate capability and superior cyclic stability (245.3 mA h g-1 at 1000 mA g-1 after 200 cycles).