Hollow octahedral Pr${}_6$O${}_{11}$-Mn${}_2$O${}_3$ heterostructures for high-performance aqueous Zn-ion batteries

Mn-based oxides are broadly prospected cathode materials for aqueous Zn-ion batteries (AZIBs) due to their rich abundance, low cost, and plentiful valence states. However, the further development of Mn-based oxides is severely restricted by the dissolution of active materials and poor structural stability. Herein, hollow octahedral Pr${}_6$O${}_{11}$-Mn${}_2$O${}_3$ (denoted as PrO-MnO) heterostructures are developed through a facile metal-organic framework-engaged templating approach, which realizes boosted Zn ion storage performance. Pr${}_6$O${}_{11}$ can not only effectively suppress the dissolution of Mn to stabilize Mn${}_2$O${}_3$ but also induce interfacial charge rearrangement and promote electron/ion transfer, contributing to the improved electrochemical activity and stability of PrO-MnO. Moreover, the rationally designed hollow nanostructure offers sufficient active sites and facilitates the reaction kinetics. As expected, the PrO-MnO cathode exhibits excellent rate and cycling performance with a high reversible capacity of 140.8 mAh g${}^{-1}$ after 2000 cycles at 1 A g${}^{-1}$, outperforming the Mn${}_2$O${}_3$ cathode. (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Energy Materials published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH)