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An Oligomeric Additive Bridges Inner and Outer Helmholtz Planes to Enable Reversible Zn Anodes via Spatial and
Yanjing Wang1, Le Zhou1, Tianyu Zhang2
1Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalysis and Adsorption Materials, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|July 13, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed oligomeric chromotropic acid disodium salt (OCAD) to enhance aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs). This additive improves electrode/electrolyte interface stability, enabling long-lasting ZIB performance.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Materials Science
- Energy Storage
Background:
- Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) face challenges in electrode/electrolyte interface stability.
- Precise molecular engineering is crucial for advancing ZIB technology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel additive for stabilizing the electrode/electrolyte interface in ZIBs.
- To investigate the mechanism of interface regulation by oligomeric chromotropic acid disodium salt (OCAD).
Main Methods:
- Synthesized OCAD using an oxidative polymerization strategy.
- Investigated the interface regulation mechanism involving inner and outer Helmholtz planes (IHP and OHP).
- Evaluated the electrochemical performance of OCAD-modified Zn anodes in symmetric and full ZIB cells.
Main Results:
- OCAD effectively regulates the interface by bridging IHP and OHP, promoting Zn2+ desolvation and suppressing side reactions.
- OCAD-modified Zn anodes exhibit exceptional cycling stability (>4300 h) and high depth of discharge (85.6%).
- Full ZIB cells demonstrate excellent capacity retention (81.6% after 4700 cycles) and practical viability with high-mass-loading cathodes and pouch cells.
Conclusions:
- Molecular oligomerization is a versatile strategy for long-range interface regulation in aqueous ZIBs.
- OCAD offers a promising solution for enhancing the durability and performance of ZIBs.
- The findings pave the way for practical applications of high-performance aqueous ZIBs.
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