Improvement in the Ppy/V 2O 5 hybrid as a cathode material for Li ion batteries using PSA as an organic additive

With the aim of improving the electrochemical properties of this candidate cathodic material for lithium ion batteries, a vanadium oxide (V ₂O ₅) and polypyrrole (Ppy) hybrid was prepared using pyridinesulfonic acid (PSA) as additive. The hybrid synthesis has been carried out in the literature by chemical polymerization of pyrrole in the host inorganic matrix, using the V ₂O ₅ dispersed in an acidic solution as an oxidizing agent. In this work the hybrid has been synthesised with PSA giving good results compared to other samples of the pristine V ₂O ₅ and to the Ppy/V ₂O ₅ hybrid without additive. An improvement of about 20% in the charge storage capacity has been achieved. The reasons for this improvement are discussed and analyzed using different experimental techniques. The hybrid material has the added advantage of an improved performance without the addition of any binder or conducting element as a cathode in a lithium ion battery.