Electrochemical and Photoresponsive Behavior of MOF-Derived V2O3/C Cathodes for Zinc-Ion Batteries: ZIF-8 as a Nanoscale Reactor and Carbon Source

In this study, a V2O3/carbon (V2O3/C) composite was synthesized using zeolitic imidazolate framework 8 (ZIF-8) as both a sacrificial template and in situ carbon source. The composite was prepared by mixing ZIF-8 with NH4VO3, followed by annealing at 800 °C, resulting in nanoscale V2O3 embedded in a nitrogen-doped porous carbon matrix. Fabricated into a thin-film cathode via alternating current electrophoretic deposition (AC-EPD), the composite exhibited mixed capacitive–diffusion-controlled charge storage behavior with favorable Zn2+ transport kinetics, as confirmed by a b-value analysis (b = 0.72) and diffusion coefficient measurements (DZn = 6.2 × 10−11 cm2/s). Notably, the cathode displayed photoresponsive redox behavior under 450 nm illumination, enhancing the Zn-ion kinetics. These findings demonstrate the potential of MOF-derived V2O3/C composites for high-performance, photo-enhanced zinc-ion energy storage applications.