A Comprehensive Review of the Mechanism and Modification Strategies of V₂O₅ Cathodes for Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have attracted wide attention due to their affordability, inherent safety, and environmental friendliness, recognized as one of the most ideal next generation energy storage systems. Vanadium-based cathodes have garnered significant interest in the field of AZIBs, presenting vast application prospects in stationary energy storage. Among them, layered vanadium pentoxide (V₂O₅) stands out a promising material due to its high theoretical capacity, drawing extensive research efforts. However, the research on V₂O₅ is greatly hindered by issues such as cathode material dissolution, low conductivity, and byproduct formation. Therefore, this review starts from the characteristics of V₂O₅ materials, summarizes the energy storage mechanism of Zn²⁺, and elucidates the main challenges faced by V₂O₅. Subsequently, current modification strategies are summarized based on these challenges, along with the relationships between the issues and strategies. Finally, further challenges and directions faced by each modification strategy are proposed. It is expected to provide researchers with information to quickly familiarize themselves with the current applications and inspiring prospects of V₂O₅ in AZIBs.