Highly flexible MnO₂@polyaniline core-shell nanowire film toward substantially expedited zinc energy storage

Flexible electrode materials are of critical importance for advancing the development of flexible Zn-MnO₂ rechargeable batteries. However, the slow electron-transfer kinetics and poor structural stability of MnO₂ dramatically impede their real-world practices. In this work, we showcase an in situ interfacial fabrication of a highly flexible MnO₂@polyaniline (MnO₂@PANI) core–shell nanowire film for high-rate and durable zinc energy storage. The conducting polyaniline nanoshell is of grand benefit for expediting the reaction kinetics and stabilizing the electrode. The MnO₂@PANI hybrid cathode affords an impressive reversible capacity of 342 mA h g⁻¹ at 0.2 A/g, and more notably, warrants substantially improved rate and cycling performance. The excellent zinc energy storage is further demonstrated in a flexible device. This encouraging achievement will pave a fresh design roadway for expediting the Zn-MnO₂ technology toward smart and flexible electronics.