Disrupting Hydrogen Bond Network Connectivity With a Double-Site Additive for Long-Life Aqueous Zinc Metal Batteries

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) face challenges from irregular dendrite growth and side reactions, hindering industrialization.
• Current strategies like competitive co-solvents have limitations including low conductivity, high cost, and safety concerns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the use of N,N omino-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as a trace additive to mitigate water activity and parasitic reactions in AZIBs.
• To enhance the stability and performance of zinc anodes in AZIBs through controlled zinc deposition.

Main Methods:

• Utilized N,N omino-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as an additive to disrupt water hydrogen bonds and stabilize the zinc anode interface.
• Investigated the effect of MBA on water molecule activity and zinc ion desolvation/nucleation processes.
• Evaluated the electrochemical performance of zinc//zinc symmetric cells and zinc//vanadium pentoxide full cells.

Main Results:

• MBA effectively restrained parasitic side reactions by disrupting the water hydrogen bond network, creating a double-site anchoring configuration.
• Achieved dense and flat zinc deposition on the anode surface, regulating desolvation and nucleation.
• Demonstrated high zinc reversibility with 99.74% Coulombic efficiency and a 2800-cycle lifespan.
• Zn//Zn symmetric cells showed 1500 hours of stability, and Zn//V2O5 full cells lasted 2000 cycles.

Conclusions:

• MBA is a promising additive for stabilizing AZIBs by controlling water activity and promoting uniform zinc deposition.
• The developed strategy significantly improves the cycling stability and overall performance of AZIBs, paving the way for their industrial application.