Recently, the research team led by Professor Fang Shaoming from the College of Material and Chemical Engineering published its latest research findings in Advanced Functional Materials (Chinese Academy of Sciences Q1 TOP journal, IF = 19.0), an internationally renowned journal in the materials field. The paper is entitled "Tunnel-Preinserted Guest Zinc Tailoring VO₂(B) Enhances Zn²⁺/H⁺ Reversible De/intercalation Capability",with Associate Professor Wang Shiwen from the New Energy College and Ma Chuanzhen, a master'sdegree candidate from the College of Material and Chemical Engineering, as co-first authors. Professor Fang Shaoming serves as the corresponding author, and Zhengzhou University of Light Industry is credited as the sole affiliated institution for this work.

The development of next-generation battery technologies holds significant importance for eco-friendly initiatives and sustainable development of resources. Among numerous cathode materials for aqueous zinc-ion batteries, tunnel-structured VO₂(B) has attracted considerable attention due to its open framework and the polyvalent states of vanadium. However, it faces challenges such as limited capacity and structural instability caused by vanadium dissolution. To address these issues, the research team successfully synthesized the cathode material Zn₀.₀₃VO₂ through a one-step hydrothermal method by chemically pre-inserting guest zinc ionshomologous to those in the electrolyteinto the tunnel-phase VO₂(B) in situ.Theoretical calculations combined with systematic electrochemical testing and multiple characterization techniques demonstrated that this strategy effectively mitigated vanadium dissolution, reduced the formation of irreversible byproducts, and enhanced both electrochemical kinetics and capacity performance. Specifically, the material achieved a high specific capacity of 358 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.1 A g⁻¹, retaining 85% capacity after 300 cycles, and exhibited exceptional stability through over 2,000 cycles at 20 A g⁻¹. This study proposes a novel approach for modulating vanadium oxide structures through ion pre-insertion, providing valuable insights into the development of high-performance aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

Additionally, the team, in collaboration with the University of Science and Technology of China and other institutions, published a research paper entitled "Advanced Electrolyte Engineering for Low-Temperature Sodium-Ion Batteries" in Advanced Materials, a top-tier journal in the materials field. This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 22472157, U23A20579, and 22309167), the Outstanding Youth Foundation of Henan Province (Grant No. 252300421046), and the Natural Science Foundation of Henan Province (Grant No. 242300420206).

Journal article link: https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202515576; https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.2025013868