Pseudocapacitive Zinc Cation Intercalation with Superior Kinetics Enabled by Atomically Thin V2O5 Nanobelts for Quasi-Solid-State Microbatteries

Given that the booming development of smart wearable, miniaturized and integrated electronics, rechargeable zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) have shown immense advantage in this field on account of high safety, abundant zinc reserves and environmentally friendly. However, appropriate cathodes materials that show high capacity and rate capability for high-perfromance microbatteries are still scarce. Herein, atomically thin V2O5 nanobelt (~2 nm thickness) with layered crystal structure are first investigated as the cathode of ZIBs. V2O5@CNTs flexible electrodes are subsequently constructed by combining the V2O5 nanobelts and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The interpenetrating network in the electrode formed by the one-dimensional (1D) nanoblets and nanotubes ensures fast electronic and ionic transport. Meanwhile, considering the unique thickness and crystal feature of V2O5 nanobelts, it provides great chance for the electrode to realize large intercalation pseudocapacitance. As a results, V2O5@CNTs hybrid film electrode exhibits ultrahigh capacity of 485.8 mAh g - 1 at 0.1 A g - 1, admirable rate capability of 137.6 mAh g - 1 at 50 A g -1, as well as large energy density of 352 Wh kg-1. Further, V2O5@CNTs cathode were assembled in quasi-solid-state zinc ion microbatteries (ZIMBs), and exhibits excellent electrochemical performance of 112.5 mu Wh cm-2, demonstrating great potential in microsized energy storage devices.

Automated summary

This study investigates the use of atomically thin V2O5 nanobelts as cathode materials for zinc ion batteries, and constructs flexible V2O5@CNTs electrodes. The interpenetrating network formed by the nanobelts and carbon nanotubes ensures fast electronic and ionic transport, resulting in ultrahigh capacity, admirable rate capability, and large energy density. Furthermore, the V2O5@CNTs cathode exhibits excellent electrochemical performance in zinc ion microbatteries, demonstrating great potential in microsized energy storage devices.