Hollow V ₂ O ₅ Cathodes with Mn ²⁺ -Pillared Surfaces and Nanoconfined Channels for Enhanced Zinc-Ion Storage

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are promising for grid-scale energy storage due to their intrinsic safety, low cost, and environmental benignity. However, their development is hampered by the strong electrostatic interactions of Zn 2+ ions with cathode hosts, leading to sluggish kinetics and structural degradation. To address these challenges, we design and synthesize hollow-structured, Mn 2+ -doped V 2 O 5 multilayered nanosheets (H-MVO) as an advanced cathode. Experimental characterizations combined with density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the preintercalated Mn 2+ ions not only serve as pillars to stabilize the layered structure but also tailor the electronic structure, thereby enhancing electronic conductivity. Simultaneously, the intercalated water molecules function as a structural lubricant, significantly shielding the Coulombic interactions and reducing the Zn 2+ diffusion energy barrier. DFT calculations quantitatively confirm that the Zn 2+ migration energy barrier in the comodified H-MVO is the lowest among the studied models. As a result, the H-MVO cathode delivers a remarkable electrochemical performance, including a high specific capacity of 389 mAh g –1 at 0.6 A g –1, an outstanding rate capability of 306 mAh g –1 at 5 A g –1, and excellent cycling stability with a capacity retention of 254 mAh g –1 after 2000 cycles. This work elucidates a synergistic comodification strategy for developing high-performance AZIB cathodes.