Highly Stable Aqueous/Organic Hybrid Zinc-Ion Batteries Based on a Synergistic Cathode/Anode Interface Engineering.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) offer safety and abundant resources but suffer from interfacial instability.
• Dendritic growth on Zn anodes and metal dissolution from cathodes limit ZIB performance and lifespan.
• Electrode/electrolyte interface destabilization is a critical challenge for practical ZIB applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an aqueous/organic hybrid electrolyte for ZIBs.
• To create synergistic interfacial layers on both cathode and anode.
• To enhance the electrochemical performance and cycling stability of ZIBs.

Main Methods:

• Formulation of an aqueous/organic hybrid electrolyte.
• Characterization of anode and cathode interfacial layers using electrochemical techniques.
• Testing of a pouch cell with a metallic Zn anode and LiMn2O4 cathode.

Main Results:

• A ZnF2/Zn3(PO4)2-rich film on the anode promoted dendrite-free and corrosion-free Zn nucleation.
• The hybrid electrolyte's interfacial film inhibited cathode metal dissolution and anomalous Zn deposition.
• A ZIB pouch cell demonstrated stable cycling, retaining 92 mAh g-1 after 235 cycles at 40% DoD.

Conclusions:

• The proposed hybrid electrolyte effectively stabilizes the electrode/electrolyte interface in ZIBs.
• Synergistic interfacial layers are crucial for achieving long-cycling stability in ZIBs.
• This work provides insights into designing stable interfaces for advanced ZIB systems.