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The VO2 (B) was synthesized via a simple solvothermal route at 160oC in ethanol. The initial discharge capacity of VO2 (B) anode, in saturated aqueous solution of LiNO3, was 177 mAh g-1 at a current rate of 50 mA g-1. After 50 cycles capacity fade was 4%, but from 20th-50th cycle no capacity drop was observed. The VO2 (B) has shown very good cyclability at current rate of even 1000 mA g-1 with initial discharge capacity of 92 mAh g-1. The excellent electrochemical performance of VO2 (B) was attributed to the stability of micro-nano structures to repeated intercalation /deintercalation process, very good electronic conductivity as well as the very low charge transfer resistance in the aqueous electrolyte. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III45014]

Lithium iron phosphate is a promising cathode material for lithium ion battery application thanks to its good characteristics. Here is presented the freeze drying method for the preparation of carbon coated LiFePO4, where PVP is used as a carbon source. The main advantage of this method is mixing at the atomic level and introducing the carbon source into the precursor solution. The synthesis process can be divided into three stages: freezing of a precursor solution, drying under vacuum until water evaporates and calicination of as-dried powder at slightly reductive atmosphere. Powder X-ray diffraction measurement demonstrated single phase LiFePO4 with crystallite size of 45.8 nm. Morphology and particle size was revealed with scanning electron microscopy and particle size analyzer. Galvanostatic cycling from 2.3 to 4.1 V vs. Li/Li+, shows typical LiFePO4 redox behavior with plateau at 3.4 V. The discharge capacity value obtained at C/10 rate was 154 mAh- 1, with decrease on greater C-rates.

Nanostructured materials including three different carbonized polyanilines and manganese oxyhydroxide were prepared and evaluated as electrode materials for sensing of lead and cadmium ions in aqueous media. Anodic stripping voltammetry results indicated that all prepared materials could be successfully used for determination of these two heavy metal ions. Carbonized polyaniline-based electrodes have higher signal and lower limits of detection (10-7 М) compared to manganese oxyhydroxide-based electrode. Among the three studied carbonized polyanilines, the one that was derived from polyaniline precursor produced in the presence of 3,5-dinitrosalicyclic acid showed the highest electrocatalytic activity towards the lead and cadmium oxidation. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. OI172043 i br. III45014]

Graphite Lonza KS44 in a solution 1 M LiClO4 in a propoylene carbonate ethylene carbonate (1 M:1 M) mixture was lithiated and delithiated galvanostatically at room temperature and at the elevated temperature of 55 ºC. Voltage–time profiles and complex impedance diagrams were recorded and are discussed for this particular system. It was confirmed that this type of graphite shows a relatively small current loss consumed by exfoliation, if lithiated at room temperature. However, the voltage–time curve of the first charging at 55 ºC shows a long voltage plateau at 0.7 Vvs. Li/Li+, which corresponds to 540 mAh g-1 of irreversible capacity attributed to exfoliation. The solid electrolyte layer formed at elevated temperature although less protecting in the sense of electrolyte reduction, shows a remarkably higher electrical resistance than that formed at room temperature. A comparison of the impedance diagrams of lithiated and delithiated samples allows the conclusion that mass transfer through the graphite, not that through the solid electrolyte layer, plays a dominant role in the mass transfer limitations.