Efficient Preparation of Metal-Ion Intercalated Vanadium-Based Cathodes for High-Performance Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries: Na2V6O16·3H2O as an Example

The inherent challenges associated with aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs), such as low energy density and slow diffusion kinetics, pose significant obstacles to their widespread adoption as energy storage systems. These limitations mainly stem from the nongreen and complex preparation process of high-quality cathode materials. In this study, we propose an approach utilizing microwave-assisted ball milling to expedite the fabrication of vanadium-based intercalated nanomaterials, aiming at solving the problem of prolonged reaction at high temperatures, which is unavoidable in the preparation of anode materials. Na2V6O16 (NVO) nanorods were synthesized in just 40 min under aqueous solvent conditions. These nanorods exhibit remarkable electrochemical properties, including a high specific capacity of 564 mA h g–1 at 0.1 A g–1 and an excellent cycle life, maintaining 164.2 mA h g–1 after 5000 cycles at 5 A g–1. Additionally, the incorporation of Na+ into the electrolyte effectively mitigates the stripping of Na+ and the deposition of Zn dendrimers from NVO, further contributing to enhanced cycling stability. The findings of this study offer a promising approach to the rapid and efficient synthesis of high-quality ZIB cathode materials.