Synergistic engineering of porous P-doped CuS/CNTs composite as high-performance conversion anode for aqueous zinc-ion batteries

The development of high-performance anode materials remains a critical challenge for advancing aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs). While conversion-type CuS anodes demonstrate superior capacity through multi-electron redox reactions, they are hindered by sluggish Zn 2+ kinetics and structural degradation. Herein, we propose a porous P-doped CuS/carbon nanotube composite (P-CuS/CNTs) engineered through a one-step hydrothermal strategy to address these limitations. The dual-functional design combines atomic-scale phosphorus doping with three-dimensional CNTs scaffolding, creating synergistic effects including: facilitating partial Zn 2+ desolvation via P C bond formation; establishing rapid ion/electron transport pathways and buffering volume changes through mechanical reinforcement of CNTs. The optimized P-CuS/CNTs anode delivers exceptional electrochemical performance, achieving a high specific capacity of 258 mAh g −1 at 1 A g −1 and retaining 128 mAh g −1 after 1000 cycles at 10 A g −1 with 98.2 % capacity retention. When paired with MnO 2 @CNTs cathodes, the full cell maintains 74 mAh g −1 after 170 cycles. This work provides fundamental insights into the desolvation-enhanced conversion mechanism while demonstrating a viable material design strategy for stable Zn-ion storage systems.