Production of fast-charge Zn-based aqueous batteries via interfacial adsorption of ion-oligomer complexes

• Published in: Nature communications 2022-04, Vol.13 (1), p.2283-2283, Article 2283
• Main Authors: Jin, Shuo, Yin, Jiefu, Gao, Xiaosi, Sharma, Arpita, Chen, Pengyu, Hong, Shifeng, Zhao, Qing, Zheng, Jingxu, Deng, Yue, Joo, Yong Lak, Archer, Lynden A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 639/301/299/891; 639/301/357/404; 639/4077/4079/891; 639/638/161; 639/638/675; Aqueous electrolytes; Batteries; Charge density; Current density; Electric energy storage; Electricity; Electrolytes; Electrolytic cells; Humanities and Social Sciences; Interphase; Manganese dioxide; multidisciplinary; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Oligomers; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Zinc
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29954-6

Aqueous zinc batteries are attracting interest because of their potential for cost-effective and safe electricity storage. However, metallic zinc exhibits only moderate reversibility in aqueous electrolytes. To circumvent this issue, we study aqueous Zn batteries able to form nanometric interphases at the Zn metal/liquid electrolyte interface, composed of an ion-oligomer complex. In Zn||Zn symmetric cell studies, we report highly reversible cycling at high current densities and capacities (e.g., 160 mA cm −2 ; 2.6 mAh cm −2 ). By means of quartz-crystal microbalance, nuclear magnetic resonance, and voltammetry measurements we show that the interphase film exists in a dynamic equilibrium with oligomers dissolved in the electrolyte. The interphase strategy is applied to aqueous Zn||I 2 and Zn||MnO 2 cells that are charged/discharged for 12,000 cycles and 1000 cycles, respectively, at a current density of 160 mA cm −2 and capacity of approximately 0.85 mAh cm −2 . Finally, we demonstrate that Zn||I 2 -carbon pouch cells (9 cm 2 area) cycle stably and deliver a specific energy of 151 Wh/kg (based on the total mass of active materials in the electrode) at a charge current density of 56 mA cm −2 . Aqueous zinc batteries attract interest because of their potential for cost-effective and safe electricity storage. Here, the authors develop an in situ formed ion-oligomer nanometric interphase strategy to enable fast-charge aqueous Zn cells.