Au Single-Atom and Nanoparticle-Decorated V₆O₁₃ Nanoflowers for High-Performance Photo-Rechargeable Zinc-Ion...

Capacity enhancement in photo-rechargeable zinc-ion batteries (PRZIBs) is closely associated with improved charge transport and interfacial kinetics under illumination. Here, we design an Au-modified vanadium oxide photocathode by incorporating Au single atoms (SAs) and nanoparticles (NPs) into V₆O₁₃ nanoflowers (Au-V₆O₁₃). The introduction of Au not only improves electrical conductivity but also induces a structural evolution from compact buds to open-blooming nanoflowers, significantly increasing the active surface area and exposing abundant electroactive sites. Structural analyses reveal that Au SAs preferentially occupy interstitial sites, while NPs are dispersed on the V₆O₁₃ framework, which together facilitate fast ion diffusion and efficient redox reactions. As a result, the Au-V₆O₁₃ electrode delivers a high capacity of 211 mAh g^-1 at 10 A g^-1 with cycling stability over 1445 cycles, significantly outperforming pristine V₆O₁₃. The superior performance is attributed to the combined effects of atomic-level doping, improved electrical pathways, and enhanced interfacial ion transport. This work demonstrates a feasible strategy to engineer high-efficiency photocathodes through Au-atom-driven structural evolution for solar-integrated rechargeable systems.