Water‐Stabilized Vanadyl Phosphate Monohydrate Ultrathin Nanosheets toward High Voltage Al‐Ion Batteries

Abstract Al ion batteries (AIBs) are attracting considerable attention owing to high volumetric capacity, low cost, and high safety. However, the strong electrostatic interaction between Al³⁺ and host lattice leads to discontented cycling life and inferior rate capability. Herein, a new strategy of employing water molecules contained VOPO₄·H₂O to boost Al³⁺ migration via the charge shielding effect of water is reported. It is revealed that VOPO₄·H₂O with water lubrication effect and smaller steric hindrance owns high capacity and fast Al³⁺ diffusion, while the loss of unstable water upon cycling leads to a rapid performance degradation. To address this problem, ultrathin VOPO₄·H₂O@MXene nanosheets are fabricated via the formed TiOV bond between VOPO₄·H₂O and MXene. The MXene aided exfoliation results in enhanced VO_water bond strength between H₂O and VOPO₄ that endows the obtained composite with strong water holding ability, contributing to the extraordinary cycling stability. Consequently, the VOPO₄·H₂O@MXene delivers a high discharge potential of 1.8 V and maintains discharge capacities of 410 and 374.8 mAh g⁻¹ after 420 and 2000 cycles at the current densities of 0.5 and 1.0 A g⁻¹, respectively. This work provides a new understanding of water‐contained AIBs cathodes and vital guidance for developing high‐performance AIBs.