Realization of Long-Life Proton Battery by Layer Intercalatable Electrolyte

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Proton batteries offer safe, low-temperature grid-scale energy storage.
• Electrolyte design is hindered by free water corrosion, limiting development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel electrolyte for proton batteries that mitigates corrosion and improves performance.
• To introduce a new working mechanism for proton reactions in aqueous batteries.

Main Methods:

• Formulation of a layer intercalatable electrolyte (LIE) by incorporating trimethyl phosphate (TMP) into acidic electrolytes.
• Investigation of the co-intercalation of solvent molecules into anode material interlayers.
• Electrochemical testing of half-cells and full-cell batteries.

Main Results:

• The LIE enabled co-intercalation, establishing a new proton reaction mechanism.
• Electrode corrosion was significantly reduced, expanding the electrochemical stability window.
• Half-cells demonstrated 91.0% capacity retention after 5000 cycles at 5 A/g.
• Full batteries maintained 74.9% capacity for 2 months at -20°C.

Conclusions:

• The developed LIE offers a promising solution for overcoming corrosion in aqueous batteries.
• This work opens new avenues for designing advanced electrolytes for proton batteries.
• The enhanced low-temperature performance and cycling stability are critical for grid-scale applications.