Vanadium Oxide-Based Cathode Materials for Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries: Energy Storage Mechanism and Design Strategy

Aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) are an ideal choice for a new generation of large energy storage devices because of their high safety and low cost. Vanadium oxide-based materials have attracted great attention in the field of AZIB cathode materials due to their high theoretical capacity resulting from their rich oxidation states. However, the serious structural collapse and low intrinsic conductivity of vanadium oxide-based materials cause rapid capacity fading, which hinders their further applications in AZIB cathode materials. Here, the structural characteristics and energy storage mechanisms of vanadium oxide-based materials are reviewed, and the optimization strategies of vanadium oxide-based cathode materials are summarized, including substitutional doping, vacancy engineering, interlayer engineering, and structural composite. Finally, the future research and development direction of vanadium oxide-based AZIBs are prospected in terms of cathode, anode, electrolyte, non-electrode components, and recovery technology.