We retrospect recent advances in rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries system and the facing challenges of aqueous zinc-ion batteries. Importantly, some concerns and feasible solutions for achieving practical aqueous zinc-ion batteries are discussed in detail.

We report the chemical intercalation of Li+ into the interlayer of V2O5·nH2O with enlarged layer spacing and fast Zn2+ diffusion, resulting in high rate capability and excellent long-term cycling performance.

Rechargeable aqueous zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) are highly desirable for large-scale energy storage due to their advantages of safety and low-cost. Development of advanced cathodes for use in aqueous ZIBs is urgently needed. Herein, we report a low-cost rechargeable aqueous Zn-V2O5 cell with 3 M ZnSO4 electrolyte that demonstrates high zinc storage capability. We also investigated the effect of different types/concentrations of the aqueous electrolytes on the performance of the Zn-V2O5 cells.

Rechargeable aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (ZIBs) with high safety and low‐cost are highly desirable for grid‐scale energy storage, yet the energy storage mechanisms in the current cathode materials are still complicated and unclear. Hence, several sodium vanadates with NaV3O8‐type layered structure (e.g., Na5V12O32 and HNaV6O16·4H2O) and β‐Na0.33V2O5‐type tunneled structure (e.g., Na0.76V6O15) are constructed and the storage/release behaviors of Zn2+ ions are deeply investigated in these two typical structures. It should be mentioned that the 2D layered Na5V12O32 and HNaV6O16·4H2O with more effective path for Zn2+ diffusion exhibit higher ion diffusion coefficients than that of tunneled Na0.76V6O15. As a result, Na5V12O32 delivers higher capacity than that of Na0.76V6O15, and a long‐term cyclic performance up to 2000 cycles at 4.0 A g−1 in spite of its capacity fading. This work provides a new perspective of Zn2+ storage mechanism in aqueous ZIB systems.

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