Vanadium telluride VTe2: a novel cathode for rechargeable aluminum batteries and its performance optimization

Vanadium telluride VTe 2 has been successfully synthesized via hydrothermal reaction and characterized for the first time as a cathode for rechargeable aluminum batteries. The electrochemical activity of VTe 2 originates from the redox pairs Te 4+ /Te 2− and V 5+ /V 4+ . VTe 2 delivers a first discharge capacity of 275 mAh g −1 at 100 mA g −1 vs. an Al anode. The charge transport within VTe 2 is based on interaction with AlCl 4 − anions, while the charge storage mechanism is dominated by surface-controlled processes at low voltages and by diffusion-controlled processes at high voltages. However, VTe 2 suffers a rapid, drastic capacity loss and a short cycle life (