Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 24, 2025

Zinc-Sponge Battery Electrodes that Suppress Dendrites
Published on: September 29, 2020
Dual-additive-based electrolyte design for aqueous zinc ion batteries with high plating/stripping efficiency
Le Li1, Yihua Xie1, Menglei Yao2
1Department of Chemistry and Institute of New Energy, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China. xldong@fudan.edu.cn.
Abstract:
A dual-additive-based aqueous electrolyte was designed with a pH-buffering additive (Zn(OAc)2) and an electrostatic shielding additive (TMAOAc) for high Zn plating/stripping efficiency. The buffering pair, OAc-/HOAc, can stabilize the pH value to suppress side hydrogen evolution reactions. Meanwhile, TMA+ acts as a competitive cation being preferentially adsorbed on the uneven surface of the Zn anode and exerts an electrostatic shielding effect to facilitate flat Zn deposition. Such a dual-additive-based electrolyte promotes an ultra-high Zn plating/stripping efficiency of 99.9% at 1 mA cm-2 and long-term cycling stability for 3600 h at 0.5 mA cm-2, offering valuable insights for advanced aqueous batteries.
Related Concept Videos
Electrodeposition
Electrodeposition can...
Extraction: Advanced Methods
Standard Electrode Potentials
Electrolysis
Formation of Complex Ions
Voltaic/Galvanic Cells
Spontaneous redox reactions occur abundantly in nature. The chemical reaction occurring in a disposable AA battery powering our remote controls is one such example of a spontaneous redox reaction. Another example is the immersion of coiled copper wire into an aqueous silver nitrate solution. The reaction shows a gradual, visually impressive color change from colorless to bright blue and the formation of a grey precipitate on the copper wire. In this experiment,...

