Expanded spinel ZnxMn2O4 induced by electrochemical activation of glucose − mediated manganese oxide for stable cycle performance in zinc − ion batteries

A silver and manganese dioxide composite with oxygen vacancies as a high-performance cathode material for aqueous zinc-ion batteries

Aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) are regarded as a promising alternative for energy storage due to their safety, cost-effectiveness and environmental friendliness. Manganese dioxide is considered a promising cathode material for energy storage because of its abundant reserves and high energy density. However, its inherent low electronic conductivity and limited cycling performance due to structural instability hinder its further development. Herein, a silver and manganese dioxide composite (Ag@MnO2) enriched with oxygen vacancies was prepared by a simple liquid-phase reduction method. The introduction of silver particles facilitates the improvement of electrical conductivity, and the incorporation of oxygen vacancies helps change the surface properties of manganese dioxide, providing additional active sites for ion transport, enhancing the overall electrochemical kinetics, and further improving the battery performance. As a result, the Ag@MnO2 cathode exhibits an astonishingly high capacity of 353 mAh g-1 at a current density of 0.1 A g-1 and a capacity retention of 78% after 1500 cycles. Additionally, electrochemical and structural analyses have revealed that the Ag@MnO2 cathode undergoes a reversible and stable process of H+ and Zn2+ insertion/extraction.

Interface engineering of heterostructured vanadium oxides for enhanced energy storage in Zinc-Ion batteries

Rechargeable aqueous Zn-ion batteries (RAZIBs) with the merits of cost effectiveness and high safety have been rejuvenated as tantalizing energy storage systems to meet the demand for grid-scale applications. Currently, the energy storage capability of the positive electrode (cathode) holds the key for the overall performance of RAZIBs. In this work, we reveal VO2, V10O24·12H2O (HVO), and VO2/HVO can be prepared via hydrothermal reaction by using different reducing agents. VO2 exhibits high capacity of 237 mAh/g at 4 A/g, while it suffers from quick capacity decay with 48 % retention after 2000 charge/discharge cycles. On the contrary, HVO demonstrates moderate capacity but meritorious cycle stability (i.e., 173 mAh/g at 4 A/g and 82 % after 2000 cycles). By integrating the merits of high-capacity VO2 and high-stability HVO, the biphasic VO2/HVO sample exhibits promising electrochemical performance with high capacity (317 and 239 mAh/g at 1 and 4 A/g, respectively) and good cycle stability (80 % after 2000 cycles). As examined by band structure analysis, the superior electrochemical performance of VO2/HVO is attributed to the presence of a heterojunction between VO2 and HVO enabling a built-in electric field to boost electron transport kinetics, leading to high attainable capacity and reliable cycle performance in RAZIBs.

The Promotion of Research Progress of Zinc Manganate Cathode Materials for Zinc-Ion Batteries by Characterization and Analysis Technology

Zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) have recently attracted great interest and are regarded as a promising energy storage device due to their low cost, environmental friendliness, and superior safety. However, the development of suitable Zn-ion intercalation cathode materials remains a great challenge, resulting in unsatisfactory ZIBs that cannot meet commercial demands. Considering that spinel-type LiMn₂O₄ has been shown to be a successful Li intercalation host, spinel-like ZnMn₂O₄ (ZMO) is expected to be a good candidate for ZIBs cathodes. This paper first introduces the zinc storage mechanism of ZMO and then reviews the promotion of research progress in improving the interlayer spacing, structural stability, and diffusivity of ZMO, including the introduction of different intercalated ions, introduction of defects, and design of different morphologies and in combination with other materials. The development status and future research directions of ZMO-based ZIBs characterization and analysis techniques are summarized.

Yttrium-preintercalated layered manganese oxide as a durable cathode for aqueous zinc-ion batteries

Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (RAZIBs) are regarded as competitive alternatives for large-scale energy storage on account of cost-effectiveness and inherent safety. In particular, rechargeable Zn-MnO₂ batteries have drawn increasing attention due to high manufacturing readiness level. However, obtaining MnO₂ with high electrochemical activity and high cyclic stability toward Zn²⁺/H⁺ storage still remains challenging. Herein, we reveal that incorporating yttrium ions (Y³⁺) into layered MnO₂ can regulate the electronic structure of the MnO₂ cathode by narrowing its band gap (from 3.25 to 2.50 eV), thus boosting the electrochemical performance in RAZIBs. Taking advantage of this feature, the optimized Y-MnO₂ (YMO) sample exhibits greater capacity (212 vs. 152 mA h g^-1 at 0.5 A g^-1), better rate capability (94 vs. 61 mA h g^-1 at 8 A g^-1), reduced charge-transfer resistance (79 vs. 148 Ω), and promoted mass transfer kinetics (3.13 × 10^-11vs. 2.37 × 10^-11 cm² s^-1) in comparison with Y-free MnO₂ (MO). More importantly, compared to MO, YMO-0.1 exhibits enhanced energy storage capability by nearly 40% (309 vs. 222 W h kg^-1) and stable cycle performance (94 vs. 52 mA h g^-1 after 3000 cycles). In situ Raman microscopy further reveals that the presence of Y³⁺ endows MnO₂ with remarkable electrochemical reversibility during charge/discharge processes. This work highlights the importance of the Y³⁺ preintercalation strategy, which can be further developed to obtain better cathode materials for aqueous batteries.