Ultra-lightweight energy storage material

1. A composition comprising a material having a formula of Li x Ti y V 1 B z , wherein x, y, and z are real numbers greater than 0.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein x is not greater than 7.

3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein y is not greater than 6.

4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein z is less than or equal to 10.

5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is a microporous aerogel, a mesoporous aerogel, a crystalline structure, or a combination thereof.

6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is an aerogel selected from a microporous aerogel, a mesoporous aerogel, and a combination thereof, and a surface of the aerogel comprises microcrystals, nanocrystals, or a combination thereof, of the material.

7. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is made into a film.

8. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is deposited as a layer onto the anode of an energy storage device.

9. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition has characteristics of sponginess.

10. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition has a density of about 0.05 gram/mL to about 1 gram/mL on a dried basis.

11. The composition of claim 1 , wherein one or more of Li, Ti, V, and B, is in an oxidized state.

12. A method of producing a composition having a formula of Li x Ti y V 1 B z , wherein x, y, and z are real numbers greater than 0, the method comprising:

contacting an aqueous solution of a vanadium entity, a titanium entity, and a lithium entity, with a borohydride to form an aqueous mixture of nanoparticles;

forming a gel out of the aqueous mixture of nanoparticles;

isolating the gel; and

drying the gel to form the composition.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein contacting the aqueous solution of the vanadium entity comprises contacting at least one of the vanadium entity comprising a vanadium alcoholate, a vanadium halide, a vanadium oxide, vanadium isopropoxide, vanadium tetrachloride, vanadium pentoxide or a combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

contacting a vanadium oxide with concentrated hydrochloric acid to form a vanadium chloride; and

adding a first alkyl alcohol to the vanadium chloride to form the vanadium entity.

15. The method of claim 14 , comprises adding methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, n-propanol, a butanol, or a combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 12 , comprises contacting a titanium alcoholate, titanium halide, a titanium oxide, titanium isopropoxide, titanium chloride, titanium oxide, or a combination thereof.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

contacting a titanium oxide with concentrated hydrochloric acid to form a titanium chloride; and

adding a second alkyl alcohol to the titanium chloride to form the titanium entity.

18. The method of claim 17 , comprises adding methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, n-propanol, a butanol, or a combination thereof.

19. The method of claim 12 , comprises contacting a lithium alcoholate, lithium halide, lithium hydroxide, lithium isopropoxide, lithium chloride, lithium hydroxide or a combination thereof.

20. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

contacting lithium hydroxide with concentrated hydrochloric acid to form a lithium chloride; and

adding a third alkyl alcohol to the lithium chloride to form the lithium entity.

21. The method of claim 20 , comprises contacting methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, n-propanol, a butanol, or a combination thereof.

22. The method of claim 12 , contacting the aqueous solution with the borohydride comprises contacting with at least one borohydride comprising sodium borohydride and lithium borohydride.

23. The method of claim 12 , further comprising preparing the aqueous solution by:

contacting lithium hydroxide with an excess of hydrochloric acid to form a lithium chloride, and adding a first alcohol to the lithium chloride to form the lithium entity;

contacting titanium dioxide with an excess of hydrochloric acid to form a titanium chloride, and adding a second alcohol to the titanium chloride to form the titanium entity;

contacting vanadium pentoxide with an excess of hydrochloric acid to form a vanadium tetrachloride, and adding a third alcohol to the vanadium tetrachloride to form the vanadium entity; and

mixing the lithium entity, the titanium entity, and the vanadium entity to form the aqueous solution.

24. An energy storage device, comprising:

a first half cell comprising:

an anode in contact with an anolyte, wherein the anode comprises a layer in contact with the anolyte, the layer comprising a formula of Li x Ti y V 1 B z , wherein x, y, and z are real numbers greater than 0; and

a second half cell comprising:

a cathode in contact with a catholyte;

wherein the first half cell is in electrochemical contact with the second half cell, the first half cell separated from the second half cell by a separator.

25. The device of claim 24 , wherein the device is a battery.

26. The battery of claim 25 , wherein the layer is a mesoporous aerogel, a microporous aerogel, or a combination thereof.

27. The battery of claim 25 , wherein x is greater than 0 and not greater than 7.

28. The battery of claim 25 , wherein y is greater than 0 and not greater than 6.

29. The battery of claim 25 , wherein z is greater than 0 and not greater than 5.

30. The battery of claim 25 , wherein the anolyte is a solid or a fluid.