High performance bilayer 2D V2O5 cathode for Zn-ion and Zn/Li hybrid metal-ion intercalation battery

The deteriorating and unevenly distributed Li reserves lead to the quest for Li-ion battery's alternatives.Hybrid metal-ion batteries are gaining attention as they effectively address the limited diffusion of heavier ions into cathode materials, typically involving the combination of multi and mono-valent metal-ions.The unavailability of high-performance cathode materials restricts the use of heavier ion (e.g., Zn²⁺) intercalation batteries even though they offer more stable anodic behavior and good charge capacity. In the present study, bilayer V₂O₅ nanosheets demonstrate exceptional performance as a cathode material for Zn-ion battery and Zn/Li hybrid metal-ion battery facilitating a faster conduit of ion diffusion. The Zn-ion battery and Zn/Lihybrid metal-ion battery showed high specific capacities of 270 and 510 mAh/g with fast charging rates of 0.77, and 0.6 A/g, respectively. Li⁺ is a lighter ion with an ionic radius of 0.76Å compared to the Zn²⁺ ion that of 0.74Å and hence has shown higher diffusion into the crystal. The introduction of Li⁺ in the hybrid metal-ion battery showed good cyclic performance with high coulombic efficiency. Thus, this study presents bilayer 2D V₂O₅ as a favorable cathode material for Zn-ion and Zn/Li hybrid metal-ion batteries for the first time.