Anthraquinone-intercalated V2O5 with Al3+ for superior zinc-ion batteries: reversible transformation between disorder and order

Oxygen-deficient anthraquinone (AQ)-intercalated vanadium oxide (1,8-AQ)0.08V2O5·0.25H2O (AQ-VO) was synthesized hydrothermally, which displayed an improved rate capability with an ultralong lifespan in the electrolyte with Al3+ compared with that in the absence of Al3+. These features are associated with the dual-pillar of Al3+/AQ in AQ-VO and the dynamic reversible conversion between disorder and order on the (00l) facets. Moreover, density functional theory (DFT) calculations discover a small Zn2+ diffusion barrier of 0.47 eV in AQ-VO.