Oxygen Vacancies of Commercial V2O5 Induced by Mechanical Force to Enhance the Diffusion of Zinc Ions in Aqueous Zinc Battery

Rechargeable aqueous batteries with Zn2+ as a media-ion are promising candidates for large-scale energy storage because of their intrinsic safety, low-cost and high energy-intensity. Vanadium based cathodic materials have gained significant attention in aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) due to their high capacity and satisfactory cycle stability. However, more facile and efficient fabrication methods should be explored when considering future realistic application. Herein, commercial V2O5 cathodes with oxygen vacancies were fabricated through a simple mechanical ball milling method. The results suggest that mechanical force can directly induce the oxygen vacancies in commercial V2O2, which significantly enhance the diffusion of Zn ions. The oxygen vacancy V2O5 (O-v-V2O5 ) shows much higher capacity than the pristine commercial V2O5 and the cyclic stability reached 2500 times. O-v-V2O5 cathode with a facile synthesis technology is a promising candidate for future high-performance, low-cost, safe, and environment-friendly Zn battery devices.