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Zinc-Sponge Battery Electrodes that Suppress Dendrites
Published on: September 29, 2020
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Solvation Structure Design for Aqueous Zn Metal Batteries
Longsheng Cao1, Dan Li1, Enyuan Hu2
1Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|December 8, 2020
Summary
Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) addition to aqueous electrolytes suppresses water decomposition and zinc dendrite growth in zinc batteries. This enhances battery lifespan and performance, enabling high energy density and stable cycling.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Materials Science
- Energy Storage
Background:
- Aqueous zinc batteries offer a low-cost, high-energy-density solution for large-scale energy storage.
- Key limitations include water decomposition and zinc dendrite formation, hindering battery lifespan.
Purpose of the Study:
- To suppress water reduction and zinc dendrite growth in aqueous electrolytes.
- To enhance the stability and performance of aqueous zinc batteries.
Main Methods:
- Addition of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to ZnCl2-H2O electrolyte.
- Investigating the preferential solvation of Zn2+ by DMSO over H2O.
- Analyzing the composition of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formed during cycling.
Main Results:
- DMSO preferentially solvates Zn2+, inhibiting water decomposition via strong H2O-DMSO interactions.
- Decomposition of solvated DMSO forms a protective SEI layer (Zn12(SO4)3Cl3(OH)15·5H2O, ZnSO3, ZnS).
- Zn anodes achieved 99.5% Coulombic efficiency over 400 cycles; Zn||MnO2 full cells delivered 212 Wh/kg with 95.3% capacity retention over 500 cycles.
Conclusions:
- DMSO addition effectively suppresses detrimental side reactions in aqueous zinc batteries.
- The developed electrolyte significantly improves cycle life and energy density for practical applications.
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