Surface Decoration Manipulating Zn2+/H+ Carrier Ratios for Hyperstable Aqueous Zinc Ion Battery Cathode

Aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) show great prospects in large-scale energy storage applications, whereas this technology suffers from the lack of cathode materials with high capacity and stability. Here, a cathode material of SbO2 nanoparticles decorated onto the surface of K0.43V6O13 nanobelt is presented. The SbO2 is disclosed as proton-phile and zinc-phobic, which thus favors H+ intercalation. In consequence, the increase of H(+ )intercalation can offset the lattice shrinkage caused by Zn2+ intercalation, and contribute to excellent cyclic stability of the battery. Finally, SbO2/K(0.43)V(6)O(13 )delivers a reversible capacity of 414.2 mAh g(-1) at 1 A g(-1) after 1000 cycles with a retention of 103%, and 223.5 mAh g(-1) at 20 A g(-1) after 20 000 cycles with a retention of 89.3%, showing long cycling life at both low current and high current densities. This study provides new insights into the effecting factors for the performance of AZIBs cathode and an effective strategy to improve its stability.

Automated summary

This study presents a cathode material for aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) with high capacity and stability, achieved by decorating SbO2 nanoparticles onto the surface of K0.43V6O13 nanobelt. The SbO2 material, known for its proton-phile and zinc-phobic properties, enhances the cyclic stability of the battery by promoting H+ intercalation. The experimental results demonstrate that SbO2/K(0.43)V(6)O(13) exhibits excellent cycling life at both low and high current densities.