Layered VO2@N-doped carbon composites for high-performance rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries

• Published in: Chemical engineering journal (Lausanne, Switzerland : 1996) Switzerland : 1996), 2022-01, Vol.428, p.131211, Article 131211
• Main Authors: Lv, Ting-Ting, Luo, Xin, Yuan, Guo-Qiang, Yang, Sheng-Yang, Pang, Huan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amorphous structure; Aqueous zinc-ion battery; Cathode materials; Layered structure
• ISSN: 1385-8947; 1873-3212
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2021.131211

•VO2@N-doped carbon composites were obtained through a facile calcination process.•Amorphous N-doped carbon provides more active sites and higher conductivity.•VO2@N-doped carbon composites deliver excellent Electrochemical performance.•The reversibility of Zn2+ insertion/extraction were demonstrated by in-situ XRD. The electrochemical performance of rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) to a great extent depends on the conductivity and structural stability of the cathode material. Herein, we report a facile calcination process to prepare the composite of VO2 and amorphous N-doped carbon using ultrathin V6O13 nanobelts coated with polydopamine as precursors. The amorphous structure of N-doped carbon enables the layered VO2@N-doped carbon composites to have more active sites and higher conductivity, and the amorphous structure has less structural change during ion diffusion. Therefore, the VO2@N-doped carbon composites exhibit excellent electrochemical performance. This work should open a new and efficient avenue for designing the cathodes of AZIBs with excellent performance.