Advancing zinc-ion batteries: Amorphous V2O5 as a protective layer on Zn anode surface

Abstract

Recently, Zn-ion batteries (ZIBs) have emerged as prominent solutions for next-generation rechargeable batteries due to abundant Zn resources and the reduced explosion risk associated with aqueous electrolytes. Nonetheless, the low charge–discharge performance of ZIBs due to the corrosive interactions between mildly acidic aqueous electrolytes and Zn anodes, as well as dendrite growth, limit their further application. To mitigate these degradation effects, this study incorporates an amorphous phase V2O5-coated Zn (AVO-Zn) anode into ZIBs. The amorphous phase V2O5 enhances the wettability of the Zn anode and mitigates hydrogen evolution and corrosion, enabling high stability of the anode over 500 h with a low overpotential of 42 mV during symmetric cell analysis. Furthermore, by providing flat Zn plating by increasing the number of nucleation sites to inhibit dendrite formation, the AVO-Zn anode achieves a high energy density of 236 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 270 W kg−1 and good long-term cyclability with a high specific capacity of 136 mAh g−1 after 200 cycles. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.