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Updated: Jun 20, 2025
11:04
Synthesis of Ionic Liquid Based Electrolytes, Assembly of Li-ion Batteries, and Measurements of Performance at High Temperature
Published on: December 20, 2016
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A Stable High-Performance Zn-Ion Batteries Enabled by Highly Compatible Polar Co-Solvent
Shuo Yang1,2, Guangpeng Wu1, Jing Zhang1
1School of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, China.
Advanced Science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)
|July 17, 2024
Summary
This study introduces 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFEA) as a co-solvent to enhance aqueous zinc-ion batteries. TFEA stabilizes the zinc anode, cathode, and electrolyte, enabling stable, high-performance batteries, even at low temperatures.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Materials Science
- Energy Storage
Background:
- Aqueous zinc-ion batteries face challenges from zinc dendrite growth, cathode dissolution, and electrolyte freezing at low temperatures.
- These issues limit the practical application and performance of current zinc-ion battery technologies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a stable and high-performance aqueous electrolyte for zinc-ion batteries.
- To investigate the role of 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFEA) as a co-solvent in improving battery stability and performance.
Main Methods:
- Introduction of 50% TFEA into a 1.3 M Zn(CF3SO3)2 aqueous electrolyte.
- Utilizing theoretical calculations and characterization analysis to understand TFEA's mechanism.
- Testing Zn//Zn symmetric cells and full batteries under various conditions, including low temperatures.
Main Results:
- TFEA addition effectively suppressed zinc dendrite growth on the anode through electrostatic adsorption and disruption of the water hydrogen bonding network.
- TFEA improved cathode wettability and reduced V2O5 dissolution, enhancing overall battery capacity.
- Zn//Zn symmetric cells achieved a cycle life of 782 hours at 5 mA cm-2. Full batteries retained 87.73% capacity after 2000 cycles at -25 °C.
Conclusions:
- TFEA is a highly compatible co-solvent that significantly enhances the stability of the zinc anode, V2O5 cathode, and aqueous electrolyte.
- This strategy enables the development of high-performance and stable aqueous zinc-ion batteries, particularly for low-temperature applications.
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