Operando crystal-amorphous transformation cathode for enhanced zinc storage

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries have obtained broad attention due to their high safety, eco-friendliness, and low cost. However, they are still in the developing stage considering the limited candidate of high-performance cathode materials. Furthermore, the intrinsic storage zinc mechanism is also needed to uncover. Here, we propose an operando crystal-amorphous transformation of tunnel-type VOOH and the obtained amorphous V2O5 serves as a high-performance zinc-ion battery cathode. In-situ X-ray diffraction corroborates the unique operando crystal-amorphous transformation of VOOH during the initial charging process. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy further demonstrate the element valence evolution and the lattice structure change, respectively. The operando electrochemical crystal-amorphous transformation allows the obtained amorphous V2O5 to achieve the high capacity of ∼ 350.7 mAh g−1, rate performance (151.2 mAh g−1 at 6.4 A/g), energy and power densities (137 Wh kg−1 at 6831 W kg−1), unveiling a promising approach of cathode materials via operando crystal-amorphous transformation to achieve the enhanced zinc storage.