A two-step process of removing lithium ions and replacing them with zinc ions in aqueous zinc-ion batteries can provide a practical solution to the issues surrounding conventional lithium-ion-based batteries.
Safe and sustainable energy storage has not always been a concern in the past, but with growing concerns of safety and environmental consciousness, conventional methods of energy storage, such as lithium-ion batteries, leave much to be desired. Dong Zhao and him team address this issue by developing a two-part method of controllable chemical "pre-zincification" which allows for impressive structural stability and rechargability with minimal volume variation during cycling. This development makes room for next-generation batteries to become a more common method of energy storage, helping to mitigate fire risks and supply chain issues associated with lithium batteries.
Dong Zhao and him research team published their results in Nano Research Energy on July 22, 2026.
"Our material, a chemically pre-zincified compound named ZLVP, survives over 5000 charge-discharge cycles with almost no capacity loss—equivalent to years of daily use—and operates at a voltage of 1.51 V, which is among the highest reported for polyanionic-type zinc-ion battery cathodes," said Liangyu Li, researcher at Wuhan University and author of the study.
The key to this material's ability is the two-step pre-zincification process. Lithium ions are first chemically extracted from the pristine Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃ lattice to create vacant sites, and then zinc ions are inserted into these pre-formed openings to form the final ZLVP structure. This deliberate method of fitting in the zinc ions instead of forcing them saves the structure of the material. By sequentially removing lithium ions and replacing them with zinc ones, a stable and low-strain framework is created. The zinc ions are able to move smoothly throughout the material, allowing this new cathode material to have the longevity and reliability needed to eventually become a replacement for lithium-ion batteries.
The ZLVP cathode sees negligible capacity degradation past 5,000 cycles, which can be attributed to minimal (4.3%) volume variation during cycling. Minimizing volume variation, which can cause expansion and eventual cracking, not only keeps the battery itself working well but also reduces the probability of cracking or breaking over time, offering improved safety characteristics compared with conventional lithium-ion batteries, which are prone to swelling and thermal runaway under aging or high-temperature conditions.
The success found in the pre-zincification process gives researchers higher goals for the future of aqueous Zn-ion batteries. Ideally, synthesis will be scaled up and costs will go down. Continued optimization and investigation into making the new cathode material compatible with different anode materials and electrolytes for additional practical cell designs is also a goal of the researchers.
Once scalability, costs, and optimization for other materials are achieved, Zhao would like to see this material commercially viable and available for access and use across the range of grid-scale storage to portable devices as a safer, more reliable and more sustainable option for renewable energy storage.
Dong Zhao, Liangyu Li, Yutong Zhang and Zhongxue Chen from the Hubei Key Laboratory of Accoutrement Technique in Fluid Machinery and Power Engineering at Wuhan University, Xiangjun Pu of the Institute for Carbon Neutrality at Wuhan University, and Limin Zhu of the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Henan University of Technology contributed to this research.
Hubei Provincial Technological Innovation Project, the Key Research and Development Program of Hubei Province and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities supported this research.
DOI Link:
https://doi.org/10.26599/NRE.2026.9120249
