Au Single‐Atom and Nanoparticle‐Decorated V ₆ O ₁₃ Nanoflowers for High‐Performance Photo‐Rechargeable Zinc‐Ion Batteries

ABSTRACT Capacity enhancement in photo‐rechargeable zinc‐ion batteries (PRZIBs) is closely associated with improved charge transport and interfacial kinetics under illumination. Here, we design an Au‐modified vanadium oxide photocathode by incorporating Au single atoms (SAs) and nanoparticles (NPs) into V ₆ O ₁₃ nanoflowers (Au‐V ₆ O ₁₃ ). The introduction of Au not only improves electrical conductivity but also induces a structural evolution from compact buds to open‐blooming nanoflowers, significantly increasing the active surface area and exposing abundant electroactive sites. Structural analyses reveal that Au SAs preferentially occupy interstitial sites, while NPs are dispersed on the V ₆ O ₁₃ framework, which together facilitate fast ion diffusion and efficient redox reactions. As a result, the Au‐V ₆ O ₁₃ electrode delivers a high capacity of 211 mAh g ⁻¹ at 10 A g ⁻¹ with cycling stability over 1445 cycles, significantly outperforming pristine V ₆ O ₁₃ . The superior performance is attributed to the combined effects of atomic‐level doping, improved electrical pathways, and enhanced interfacial ion transport. This work demonstrates a feasible strategy to engineer high‐efficiency photocathodes through Au‐atom‐driven structural evolution for solar‐integrated rechargeable systems.