A two-dimensional conductive polymer/VO composite with rapid zinc-ion storage kinetics for high-power aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

Vanadium oxides represent a promising cathode material for aqueous zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) owing to their abundant valences and versatile cation-storage capacities. However, the sluggish Zn diffusion kinetics in the VO framework and poor intrinsic conductivity result in inferior rate capability and unsatisfactory cycling performance of the VO cathode, and thus limits its commercial-scale deployment. Herein, a unique conducting polymer intercalation strategy is developed to optimize the ion/electron transport simultaneously based on the rational design of the composite structure and morphology.