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Super-Concentrated Alkali Hydroxide Electrolytes for Rechargeable Zn Batteries
Yilin Ma1, Jiajia Huang2, Shengyong Gao1
1Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, P. R. China.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|February 19, 2025
Summary
Researchers developed a super-concentrated alkaline electrolyte using 15 M potassium hydroxide (KOH). This novel electrolyte offers high conductivity and stability, breaking common tradeoffs for advanced rechargeable batteries.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Materials Science
- Energy Storage
Background:
- Super-concentrated electrolytes (>10 M) enable new solute-solvent interactions for rechargeable batteries.
- Existing electrolytes face tradeoffs between conductivity and stability.
Purpose of the Study:
- Introduce a novel super-concentrated alkaline electrolyte based on potassium hydroxide (KOH).
- Investigate the properties and mechanisms of this electrolyte for improved battery performance.
Main Methods:
- Electrochemical analysis on gold electrodes.
- Spectroscopic techniques.
- Ab-initio molecular dynamics simulations.
- Zinc oxide (ZnO) solubility tests.
Main Results:
- A 15 M KOH electrolyte exhibits a wide electrochemical stability window (>2.5 V) and high ionic conductivity (>0.27 S/cm).
- A novel OH- structural diffusion mechanism driven by electrostatic forces was identified, bypassing the Grotthuss mechanism.
- High ZnO solubility prevents passivation in discharged zinc anodes.
- A NiOOH||Zn battery demonstrated a cumulative capacity >10 Ah/cm² at 40 mA/cm².
Conclusions:
- The super-concentrated KOH electrolyte overcomes the stability-conductivity tradeoff.
- This electrolyte offers a promising pathway for safe, inexpensive, and high-performance rechargeable batteries.
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