Facile synthesis of V2O3/nitrogen-doped carbon shell nanoflower for boosted aqueous zinc ion storage performance

Vanadium oxides are commonly utilized as cathode materials in aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) due to their high capacity performance. However, the conductivity is weak, and they are prone to dissolution during the charging and discharging process. Therefore, it is essential to improve the electrochemical performance of vanadium oxide in AZIBs through modification. In this study, a surfactant was used to refine the microstructure of hydrated vanadium pentoxide. Subsequently, a carbon reduction reaction at high temperatures was employed to convert it into V2O3. Furthermore, nitrogen doping was introduced by coating V2O3 with carbon to create V2O3@NC nanosflowers in an oxygen-free environment. Experimental results demonstrated that V2O3@NC exhibited outstanding performance as a cathode material, achieving an initial capacity of 414.0 mAh g-1 at a current density of 0.1 A g-1 and maintaining a capacity retention of 63% after 500 cycles at 1 A g-1. This research expands the possibilities for improving zinc-ion storage in AZIBs by utilizing vanadium-based materials.