Preparation, characterization and lithium-intercalation performance of different morphological molybdenum dioxide

Molybdenum dioxide (MoO2) powders with various morphologies were synthesized using a hydrothermal reaction and a rheological phase reaction as two novel routes. The physical characterization was carried out by TG/DTA, XRD and SEM. The electrochemical characteristics of as-prepared MoO2 powders as anode materials for lithium batteries has also been studied and the morphological properties were found to play an important role in their lithium-intercalation activity and cycling stability. The fissile MoO2 displays 484 mAh g−1 capacity in the initial charge process with a capacity retention of 98.9% after 20 cycles, while the porous spherical MoO2 provides 769 mAh g−1 high capacity in the first charge process and the charge capacity decreases rapidly in subsequent cycles in the range of 0.01–2.00 V versus metallic lithium at a current density of 100 mA g−1. The SEM and XRD results reveal that there is a correlation between the electrochemical performance of the MoO2 powders and their morphological properties.