An aqueous rechargeable and high-capacity zinc ion battery using a novel rGO–V2O5–SiO2 hybrid nanocomposite as a cathode material

Abstract

We report an aqueous Zn–rGO–V₂O₅–SiO₂ pouch-type rechargeable zinc ion battery (ZIB) with a rGO–V₂O₅–SiO₂ hybrid nanocomposite as the cathode, Zn as the anode, and 0.5 M Zn (CF₃SO₃)₂ as the electrolyte. The rGO–V₂O₅–SiO₂ hybrid cathode, in the presence of an aqueous electrolyte, intercalated Zn²⁺ ions in its 3D layers due to the high surface area and porosity of the developed nanorod structures. Furthermore, the combined electrical conductivity of rGO and V₂O₅ with high water adsorption capacity of silica synergistically affects the charge–discharge rate and stability of the ZIB. As a result, the aqueous rechargeable battery depicts a specific charge capacity of 640 mA h g⁻¹ at 200 mA g⁻¹ and a high-performance rate of 890 mA h g⁻¹ at 20 mA g⁻¹ which are further stacked in series to obtain a capacity of 502 mA h g⁻¹ at 12 V. The pouch cell configuration makes this battery a potential candidate for large-scale energy storage applications.