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Merging Ion Concentration Polarization between Juxtaposed Ion Exchange Membranes to Block the Propagation of the Polarization Zone
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Mitigating Diffusion-Limited Concentration Polarization via Intrinsic Electrocapillary Effects in Engineered Hollow
Xin Liu1, Jiaxian Zheng1,2, Jiahao Li1
1State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
Nano Letters
|December 15, 2025
Summary
A novel approach using sea urchin-like manganese dioxide microspheres enhances aqueous zinc-ion battery performance by controlling interfacial mass transport via the electrocapillary effect, boosting energy storage capabilities.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Materials Science
- Energy Storage
Background:
- Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are key for grid storage but face challenges like slow ion diffusion and concentration polarization.
- Current solutions often rely on structural modifications, which have limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fundamentally address interfacial mass transport limitations in AZIBs.
- To introduce electrocapillary management as a new strategy for enhancing battery performance.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of sea urchin-like manganese dioxide microspheres with hollow nanotubes (H-MnO2).
- Utilizing the electrocapillary effect to control ion transport at the electrode-electrolyte interface.
- Electrochemical characterization of Zn||H-MnO2 batteries.
Main Results:
- The H-MnO2 cathode demonstrated improved wettability and reduced ion adsorption energy barriers.
- Significant acceleration of Zn2+/H+ diffusion kinetics was observed.
- The Zn||H-MnO2 battery achieved a high capacity (407 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1) and stable cycling (over 200 mAh g-1 after 350 cycles at 0.5 A g-1).
Conclusions:
- Electrocapillary management effectively suppresses concentration polarization and enhances ion transport in AZIBs.
- H-MnO2 microspheres offer a promising cathode material for high-performance aqueous zinc-ion batteries.
- This work presents a new paradigm for designing advanced electrochemical energy storage systems.
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