Engineering electro-crystallization orientation and surface activation in wide-temperature zinc ion supercapacitors

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Electrode capacity matching is crucial for electrochemical cell performance.
• Zinc ion supercapacitors require strategies to balance anode and cathode utilization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop methods for balancing electrode utilization in zinc ion supercapacitors.
• To decrease dendritic loss in the zinc anode and increase activated carbon cathode capacity.

Main Methods:

• Modified the anode current collector with copper nanoparticles to control zinc plating and minimize dendrites.
• Activated the cathode via an electrolyte reaction to enhance porosity and gravimetric capacity.

Main Results:

• Achieved a specific energy of 192 ± 0.56 Wh kg⁻¹ at 1.4 kW kg⁻¹.
• Maintained 84% capacity after 50,000 cycles at 2V.
• Demonstrated a cumulative capacity of 19.8 Ah cm⁻², exceeding zinc ion batteries.

Conclusions:

• The developed strategies effectively balance electrode utilization in zinc ion supercapacitors.
• The enhanced supercapacitor exhibits high energy density, power density, and exceptional cycle life.
• This device design is highly suitable for high-endurance applications like uninterruptible power supplies and energy harvesting.