Construction of a hybrid layered composite with intercalated polymer as cathode for aqueous zinc ion batteries

Vanadium-based materials, as cathode candidates for aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs), have received significant attention due to their substantial theoretical capacity. However, the intercalation/deintercalation of Zn²⁺ and H⁺ can cause significant structural deformation, thereby affecting long-term cyclic stability. Organic electrode materials, particularly conductive polymers, are known for their high cyclic stability but relatively low specific capacity. This study proposes a novel integration of the characteristics by integrating vanadate with the conductive polymer poly(diaminonaphthalene) (PDAN), resulting in the NVO/PDAN composite. This composite exhibits an ultra-high initial capacity of 538 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.1 A g⁻¹, which is significantly higher than that of conventional cathode materials. Furthermore, it demonstrates exceptional cyclic stability, retaining 77 % of its capacity after 2000 cycles.