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Published on: September 29, 2020
Unsaturated Amide Chemistry Enables Ultralong-Cycling Zn Anode
Xingwang Zhao1, Xiaochen Liu1, Bo Shang1
1School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China.
Unsaturated amide chemistry stabilizes zinc anodes in rechargeable aqueous zinc metal batteries (RAZMBs). This approach forms a dynamic polymer film, enabling ultralong cycling life and suppressing side reactions for improved battery performance.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Materials Science
- Energy Storage
Background:
- Rechargeable aqueous zinc metal batteries (RAZMBs) face challenges due to interfacial instability of zinc anodes.
- Vigorous side reactions and uncontrolled zinc deposition hinder the practical application of RAZMBs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a facile and efficient strategy for stabilizing zinc anodes.
- To achieve ultralong cycling life for RAZMBs by mitigating parasitic reactions and improving zinc deposition.
Main Methods:
- Utilized unsaturated amide chemistry with amide-based surfactants as electrolyte additives.
- Reconstructed the inner Helmholtz plane (IHP) structure and formed an in situ dynamic polymer film (DPF) via electropolymerization.
- Investigated the synergistic effects of tailored IHP and DPF on zinc anode stability.
Main Results:
- The hybrid interphase, integrating inorganic rigidity and organic flexibility, effectively suppressed parasitic reactions and regulated Zn2+ diffusion.
- Homogenized zinc deposition and accommodated volume variations during plating/stripping.
- Achieved an ultralong cycle life of 5500 hours for a Zn||Zn symmetric cell using acrylamide (AAM) additive.
Conclusions:
- Synergistically tailored IHP and in situ formed DPF driven by unsaturated amide chemistry provide an efficient strategy for stabilizing zinc anodes.
- This approach offers a promising pathway for the practical application of RAZMBs.
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