PREPARATION AND LITHIUM INTERCALATION OF A NEW VANADIUM-OXIDE WITH A 2-DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURE

A new type of V2O5 which was synthesized by a reaction of metallic van adium with hydrogen peroxide solution, takes a random layer lattice st ructure based on the a-b plane of orthorhombic V2O5. Electrochemical i ntercalation of Li into this two-dimensional compound was investigated in a LiClO4/propylene carbonate solution. Discharge and charge cycles carried out in the voltage range 2.0 to 4.3 V showed a high specific capacity of about 310 Ah/kg. The film fabricated on an ITO glass subst rate by the spin-coating technique, using a water based solution of th e new V2O5, exhibited electrochromism. The magnitude of optical densit y change at 380 nm between coloration and decoloration of the film of 8000 Angstrom thickness, is about 0.7.