 A new type of cathode material has been developed by researchers from China. It consists of a mixture of vanadium oxide, V4+, and vanadium dioxide, V205, and can be used in lithium ion batteries. The cathode shows excellent performance, including a high specific capacity of 140 milliamp hours per G after 1000 cycles at 10a slash G and a fast rate capability due to the presence of V4+. This discovery could lead to improved battery technology and better understanding of advanced battery chemistry. This article was authored by Fei Liu, Zi Xianchen, Guozhou Feng, and others.