Electrochemically Induced Reconfiguring Decayed Vanadium Oxides for Recycling

Crystal repair strategies are commonly used to extend the cycling life of electrode materials, but their effectiveness is often limited and may introduce defects. In this study, we propose an electrochemically induced phase transformation approach to complement traditional repair strategies. This technique regenerates decayed α-phase V₂O₅ from deteriorated lithium-ion batteries by not only repairing defects but also forming stable bilayer structure crystals for excellent Zn²⁺ storage. By controlling the stimulated current, the phase transformation kinetics can be precisely tuned with the assistance of interlayer H₂O. The reconfigured V₂O₅ achieves a remarkable Zn²⁺ areal capacity of 6.5 mA h cm^-2 in aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs), with a cycling over 1500 cycles, outperforming ZIBs made from common fresh V₂O₅.