Building Ion-Conductive Supramolecular Elastomeric Protective Layer via Dynamic Hard Domain Design for Stable Zinc...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (RAZBs) face challenges due to zinc dendrite growth and parasitic reactions at the anode.
• These instabilities limit the practical application and cycling stability of RAZBs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel ion-conductive supramolecular elastomer for stabilizing zinc metal anodes in RAZBs.
• To enhance the electrode-electrolyte interface and improve the overall electrochemical performance of RAZBs.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized an ion-conductive supramolecular elastomer using Zn salts and a polyurethane-urea-polypropylene glycol polymer skeleton.
• Investigated the elastomer's mechanical strength, ionic conductivity, hydrophobicity, and adhesion properties.
• Evaluated the performance of the modified zinc anode through electrochemical cycling and full cell assembly with MnO2.

Main Results:

• The elastomer effectively stabilized the zinc anode, exhibiting dynamic adaptation to volume changes via reversible hydrogen bond dissociation/reassociation.
• Coordination with polypropylene glycol segments facilitated fast ion transport, while hydrophobicity inhibited water-induced corrosion.
• The modified anode demonstrated excellent cycling stability (>550 h at 5 mA cm⁻²) and improved full cell performance.

Conclusions:

• The developed supramolecular elastomer successfully addresses zinc anode instability in RAZBs.
• This material offers a promising strategy for designing stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layers in aqueous battery systems.
• The findings provide valuable insights for accelerating the commercialization of RAZBs.