MnO2@V2O5 microspheres as cathode materials for high performance aqueous rechargeable Zn-ion battery

The development of manganese dioxide (MnO2) as cathode materials in rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) is tremendously restricted by the dissolution of MnO2 during charge/discharge process. Herein, vanadium pentoxide (V2O5)-coated MnO2 as cathode is proposed via a facile thermal decomposition method. The V2O5 nanoparticles are coated on the MnO2 microsphere with an average diameter of 1 μ m, enhancing ion insertion/extraction kinetics and suppressing the dissolution of the cathode material during cycling. The MnO2@V2O5 microspheres exhibit a high specific capacity of 381.4 mA h g−1 at 100 mA g−1, excellent rate capability of 160.7 mAh g−1 at 1600 mA g−1 and good long-term cycling stability with 73% capacity retention after 3000 cycles at 2000 mA g−1. This study highlights the potential of Zn-ion conductor oxide coating as a strategy of improving the electrochemical performance of MnO2 in aqueous ZIBs.