A novel polytype – the stacking fault based γ‐MoO3 nanobelts. Issue 2 (1st March 2016) - Sławiński, Wojciech A.
Abstract : γ‐MoO3 nanobelts were prepared by hydrothermal synthesis. The novel polytype crystal structure and morphology of the belts were studied by synchrotron radiation powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction. Their nm dimensions, in particular in two crystallographic directions, have a profound influence on electrochemical properties during cycling as the cathode material in Li‐coin cells. The crystal structure for the γ‐MoO3 nanobelts differs significantly from that of bulk α‐MoO3 . The question of whether the disorder structure type of γ‐MoO3 nanobelts is the main reason for the increased charge capacity of MoO3 nanobelts from 200 for bulk materials up to 340 mAh g −1 for nanobelts remains open. Abstract : γ‐MoO3 nanobelts prepared by hydrothermal synthesis were studied by synchrotron radiation powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction. Their nm dimensions, in particular in two crystallographic directions, have a profound influence on electrochemical properties during cycling as the cathode material in lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). The diffraction analysis shows clearly that the crystal structure for the γ‐MoO3 nanobelts differs significantly from that of bulk α‐MoO3 . The observed powder diffraction pattern, with asymmetric peaks, extremely broad peaks, as well as additional or absent diffraction peaks, is fully described by means of a model based on stacking disorder of MoO3 slabs.