YAlVO ₂ @PEDOT Nanomaterials as a High-Performance VO ₂ Cathode for Reversible Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries

Vanadium dioxide (VO 2 ) is a polymorphic material of interest for aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs). As one of its most attractive phases, metastable VO 2 (B) offers a high theoretical capacity. Unfortunately, its practical use is hindered by sluggish reaction kinetics and severe dissolution issues, rendering it unstable in aqueous electrolytes. To address these challenges, we herein report a dual-function strategy designed to simultaneously enhance the kinetics and suppress dissolution. Through the intercalation of dual metal ions (Y 3+ and Al 3+ ) and highly conductive poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) encapsulation, the as-prepared YAlVO 2 @PEDOT exhibited a high specific capacity of 335.61 mAh g –1 at 1 A g –1 . At 5 A g –1, it demonstrated a high specific capacity of 275.59 mAh g –1 with a capacity retention of 80.3% after 1000 cycles. Ex situ characterizations further verified that, benefiting from the protective hydrophobic PEDOT layer and expanded interlayer spacing, the reaction kinetics was also improved. This strategy provided a promising approach for developing VO 2 materials to achieve high-performance AZIBs.