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Complexing Agent-Assisted Membraneless Zinc-Iodine Aqueous Batteries
Yutong Wu1, Maxim Zhelyabovskiy1, Zhitao Chen1
1School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States.
The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
|July 31, 2025
Summary
This study demonstrates a membraneless zinc-iodine battery using a complexing agent to prevent self-discharge and dendrite growth. This innovation enhances ion transport, reduces cost, and achieves high volumetric capacity.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Materials Science
- Energy Storage
Background:
- Conventional zinc-iodine batteries require membranes to prevent polyiodide crossover and reaction with zinc.
- Membrane elimination in aqueous batteries can improve ion transport, reduce costs, and minimize physical footprint.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate a membraneless zinc-iodine aqueous battery.
- To utilize a complexing agent to mitigate issues associated with membraneless designs.
Main Methods:
- A novel membraneless zinc-iodine aqueous battery was designed.
- 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium iodide (MBPI) was employed as a complexing agent in the electrolyte.
- Performance was evaluated through cycling tests and capacity measurements.
Main Results:
- The addition of 0.3 M MBPI to a 4 M ZnI2 electrolyte enabled 65 cycles with over 85% Coulombic efficiency.
- A control battery without MBPI failed immediately.
- A volumetric capacity of 14.3 Ah L-1 was achieved, exceeding most reported membraneless batteries.
Conclusions:
- Complexing agents can effectively simplify the architecture of zinc-iodine flow batteries by enabling membraneless designs.
- The developed membraneless battery shows significant potential for cost-effective and efficient energy storage.
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