Achieving high-rate and durable aqueous rechargeable Zn-Ion batteries by enhancing the successive electrochemical conversion reactions

Xiaosha Cui; Yaxiong Zhang; Situo Cheng; Yupeng Liu; Zhipeng Shao; Zhenheng Sun; Yin Wu; Hongzhou Guo; Jiecai Fu; Erqing Xie

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2022.04.004

Achieving high-rate and durable aqueous rechargeable Zn-Ion batteries by enhancing the successive electrochemical conversion reactions

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2022 Aug 15:620:127-134. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.04.004. Epub 2022 Apr 6.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory for Magnetism and Magnetic Materials of the Ministry of Education, School of Physical Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
² Key Laboratory for Magnetism and Magnetic Materials of the Ministry of Education, School of Physical Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China. Electronic address: fujc@lzu.edu.cn.
³ Key Laboratory for Magnetism and Magnetic Materials of the Ministry of Education, School of Physical Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China. Electronic address: xieeq@lzu.edu.cn.

PMID: 35421749
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.04.004

Abstract

The mild electrolyte working environment of rechargeable aqueous Zn-ion batteries (AZIBs) features its promising characteristic and potential application for large-scale energy storage system. However, the poor cycling stability significantly hinders the broad application of AZIBs due to the complex electrochemical conversion reactions during charge-discharge process. Herein, we propose a strategy to improve the electrochemical performance of AZIB by enhancing the successive electrochemical conversion reactions. With a rational design of electrode, an even homogeneous electric field can be achieved in the cathode side, resulting to significantly enhanced efficiency of successive electrochemical conversion reactions. Charge storage mechanism studies reveal that the reversibility behaviors of byproducts alkaline zinc sulfate (ZHS) can dramatically determine the H⁺/Zn²⁺ de/intercalation process, and a high reversibility characteristic ensures the facilitated electrochemical kinetics. As expected, the resultant AZIB possesses outstanding electrochemical performance with a high specific capacity of 425.08 mAh⋅g^-1 at 0.1 A⋅g^-1, an excellent rate capacity of about 60% (246.6 mAh⋅g^-1 at 1 A⋅g^-1) and superior cycling stability of 93.7% after 3000 cycles (at 3 A⋅g^-1). This effective strategy and thinking proposed here may open a new avenue for the development of high-performing AZIBs.

Keywords: Aqueous zinc ion battery; Cathode material; Charge storage mechanism; Reversibility; Successive electrochemical conversion reaction; Uniform electric field.