A low concentration electrolyte additive for constructing solid-electrolyte interphase on a Zn metal anode for...

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Battery Technology

Background:

• Zinc metal anodes in aqueous batteries suffer from inhomogeneous deposition and corrosion.
• These issues limit the cycle life and efficiency of zinc-based batteries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To stabilize zinc anodes using dioxane (DX) as an electrolyte additive.
• To improve the performance of aqueous zinc batteries.

Main Methods:

• Introduced low concentration of dioxane (DX) as an electrolyte additive.
• Investigated the adsorption and coordination behavior of DX on the Zn electrode surface.
• Analyzed the effect of DX on Zn2+ species and solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation.
• Tested Zn symmetric cells and Zn//Cu cells for performance evaluation.

Main Results:

• Dioxane (DX) exhibits strong affinity for Zn and Zn2+, adsorbing onto the Zn electrode and coordinating with Zn2+.
• The Zn2+-DX species showed a decreased lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy level.
• DX inhibited side reactions and formed a stable SEI layer, ensuring uniform Zn deposition.
• The cycle life of Zn symmetric cells extended from 99 h to 2100 h.
• Coulombic efficiency in Zn//Cu cells reached 99.5%.

Conclusions:

• Dioxane (DX) effectively stabilizes zinc anodes in aqueous batteries.
• DX additive enhances battery performance by promoting uniform Zn deposition and inhibiting corrosion.
• The developed method offers a promising strategy for improving aqueous zinc battery technology.