Divalent transition metal ion intercalated hydrated V2O5 nanosheet cathodes for ultra-long cycling aqueous zinc-ion batteries

Abstract

Given the rich d-electron structures of transition metals, we synthesized Co²⁺/Ni²⁺/Cu²⁺-intercalated hydrated V₂O₅ nanosheet cathodes via a novel self-assembly approach, achieving excellent performance in AZIBs. DFT calculations revealed that the intercalation of transition metal ions modulates the electronic structure near the Fermi level of pristine V₂O₅, increasing DOS and reducing the band gap, thereby improving electrical conductivity.