Vanadium Oxide–Conducting Polymers Composite Cathodes for Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries: Interfacial Design and Enhancement of Electrochemical Performance

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are being intensively developed as potential alternative electrochemical power sources, due to their advantages such as low cost, high safety, abundance of natural zinc resources and appropriate energy density. Among currently investigated prospective cathode materials for AZIBs, vanadium oxide-based composites with intrinsically conducting polymers have shown many advantages, such as high capacity, high power density and long battery life. This review gives a focused view of the design for the boosting of zinc ion storage performance using intrinsically conducting polymers in vanadium oxide-based composites and the mechanism of intercalation processes. The main challenges in interfacial engineering of vanadium oxide-conducting polymers composite structures and the prospects for further development of such cathode materials are summarized and discussed. The review would give rise to a broad interest focusing on the advantageous strategy of the development of vanadium oxide composite cathodes with intrinsically conducting polymers (polyaniline, polypyrrole, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)) for AZIBs with improved energy density, high-rate capability and stability.