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High Precision Zinc Isotopic Measurements Applied to Mouse Organs
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Relay Storage of Protons and Zinc Ions Enables Practical High-Mass-Loading Organic Electrodes.
Xiaomeng Yu1, Shouyi Yuan1, Lei Yan1,2
1Department of Chemistry and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, Institute of New Energy, iChEM (Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials), Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|February 12, 2026
Summary
Rechargeable zinc-organic batteries achieve practical application with poly(benzoquinonyl sulfide) (PBQS) electrodes. A novel proton-assisted mechanism enables high performance at ultrahigh mass loadings for sustainable energy storage.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Sustainable Energy
Background:
- Rechargeable Zn-organic batteries offer sustainable energy storage potential.
- Current high-performance batteries are limited by low mass loadings, hindering practical use.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate poly(benzoquinonyl sulfide) (PBQS) electrodes in water-in-salt electrolytes.
- Understand the electrochemical mechanism for enhanced performance at high mass loadings.
Main Methods:
- Electrochemical testing of PBQS electrodes at ultrahigh mass loadings (100 mg cm⁻²).
- Analysis of charge-discharge processes and ion dynamics in water-in-salt electrolytes.
Main Results:
- Discovered a dynamic relay mechanism involving proton (H⁺) and zinc ion (Zn²⁺) insertion/deinsertion.
- Achieved a record areal capacity of 18 mAh cm⁻² with a 10 wt% carbon-loaded PBQS electrode.
- Demonstrated excellent rate capability and cycling stability at high mass loadings.
Conclusions:
- The proton-assisted mechanism significantly enhances Zn²⁺ diffusion kinetics.
- PBQS electrodes show strong potential for practical, high-performance sustainable energy storage applications.
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