High-performance vanadium oxide-based aqueous zinc batteries: Organic molecule modification, challenges, and future prospects

Aqueous Zn-vanadium batteries have been attracting significant interest due to the high theoretical capacity, diverse crystalline structures, and cost-effectiveness of vanadium oxide cathodes. Despite these advantages, challenges such as low redox potential, sluggish reaction kinetics, and vanadium dissolution lead to inferior energy density and unsatisfactory lifespan of vanadium oxide cathodes. Addressing these issues, given the abundant redox groups and flexible structures in organic compounds, this study comprehensively reviews the latest developments of organic-modified vanadium-based oxide strategies, especially organic interfacial modification, and pre-intercalation. The review presents detailed analyses of the energy storage mechanism and multiple electron transfer reactions that contribute to enhanced battery performance, including boosted redox kinetics, higher energy density, and broadened lifespan. Furthermore, the review emphasizes the necessity of in situ characterization and theoretical calculation techniques for the further investigation of appropriate organic “guest” materials and matched redox couples in the organic-vanadium oxide hybrids with muti-energy storage mechanisms. The review also highlights strategies for Zn anode protection and electrolyte solvation regulation, which are critical for developing advanced Zn-vanadium battery systems suitable for large-scale energy storage applications.