Freestanding, flexible and interfused V2O5 nanowire/rGO composite fiber nonwoven fabric for high-capacity binder-free aqueous zinc-ion batteries

Abstract

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) have emerged as a promising alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries due to their high safety, environmental friendliness, and cost-effectiveness, as well as their high theoretical capacity. However, developing freestanding cathodes with excellent electrochemical performance, including high specific capacity and energy density, still faces significant challenges. Herein, we present a freestanding, flexible, and interfused V2O5 nanowire/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composite fiber nonwoven fabric for the cathode of aqueous ZIBs via a novel wet-spinning and wet-fusing assembly strategy. The resulting V2O5 nanowire/rGO composite fiber nonwoven fabric can be directly utilized as the cathode for aqueous ZIBs, demonstrating outstanding electrochemical performance, including high specific capacity (402.5 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1), energy density (286.3 Wh kg−1 at 71.4 W kg−1), excellent rate capability, and long cycling life (4000 cycles). This study provides new insights into the development of high-performance flexible freestanding electrode materials for ZIBs