Mild aqueous Zn batteries (AZBs) generally suffer a low-voltage/energy dilemma, which compromises their competitiveness for large-scale energy storage. Pushing Zn anode potential downshift is an admissible yet underappreciated approach for high-voltage/energy AZBs. Herein, with a mild hybrid electrolyte containing in situ-derived diluted strongly-coordinated Zn2+ -cosolvent pairs, a considerable Zn anode potential downshift is initially achieved for high-voltage Zn-based hybrid batteries. The chosen butylpyridine cosolvent not only strongly coordinates Zn2+ ions but also acts as a hydrogen-bond end-capping agent to inhibit hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The electrolyte environment with hetero-solvation-diluted strongly-coordinated Zn2+ -cosolvent pairs remarkably lowers Zn2+ activity, responsible for the Zn electrode potential downshift (-0.330 V vs Zn), confirming to modified Nernst law (ΔE = ln[a(Zn2 + )/a(coordinated solvent)]). With the diluted Zn2+ -containing hybrid electrolyte, the Zn//Zn symmetric cell in the hybrid electrolyte shows a long lifespan over 1270 h at a stripping/plating capacity of 0.4 mA h cm-2 . Compared with in common hybrid electrolytes, the as-assembled Zn-MnO2 hybrid battery delivers a ca. 0.278 V enhanced voltage plateau (1.57 V) and a long-term cyclability of over 736 cycles. This work opens a new avenue toward Zn anode potential downshift for high-voltage AZBs, which can extend to other mild metal batteries.
Keywords: anode potential downshift; high voltage plateau; hybrid batteries; hybrid hybrid electrolyte; ion-pair complex interplay.
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