Ag decorated V2O5 nanorods as cathode material for lithium ion battery

V2O5 nanorods embedded with Ag nanoparticles were prepared by a simple ionic liquid-assisted low-temperature hydrothermal method using methyl imidazole at 130 °C for 24 h. The obtained product has been characterized using XRD which shows orthorhombic phase of V2O5 with small amount of Ag having the average crystallite size of 25 nm. From the Raman spectrum, stretching vibration of V=O is observed at 998 cm−1. UV–DRS shows the energy gap of 2.41 eV. SEM images show fiber-like structure along with spherical particles. TEM images clearly show the presence of Ag particles embedded on the surface of V2O5 nanorods and average thickness/diameter of nanorods was found to be 30 nm with micrometer in length. Ag decorated V2O5 nanorods is used as anode material for Li-ion batteries and observed that it exhibits an initial discharge specific capacity of 295 mAh g−1 and its stabilized specific capacity reached to 182 mAh g−1 after 50 cycles at a current rate of 0.1 C.