Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2026
10:15
Solar-Driven Electrochemical Green Fuel Production from CO2 and Water Using Ti3C2Tx MXene-Supported CuZn and NiCo Catalysts
Published on: November 7, 2025
Studies on Counter Electrode Materials in Aqueous Zinc Half-Cell Configurations
Peiming Chen1, Ruwei Chen1, Xuhuan Xiao1
1Department of Chemistry, University College London, London, UK.
Advanced Science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)
|August 7, 2026
Summary
Titanium (Ti) current collectors are best for aqueous zinc-ion battery testing. They show superior performance and avoid side reactions, unlike copper (Cu) or aluminum (Al), ensuring reliable results.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Materials Science
- Energy Storage
Background:
- Coulombic Efficiency (CE) is crucial for assessing aqueous zinc-ion battery (ZIB) reversibility.
- Current collector choice significantly impacts ZIB half-cell test reliability and comparability.
- Existing protocols lack standardization, leading to inconsistent data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically compare four common metal substrates (Cu, Ti, SS, Al) for ZIB half-cells.
- To identify the most reliable current collector for accurate electrochemical testing.
- To elucidate the electrochemical reactions occurring at different metal-electrolyte interfaces.
Main Methods:
- Half-cell testing of ZIBs using Cu, Ti, SS, and Al current collectors.
- Systematic electrochemical performance evaluation of each substrate.
- Analysis of underlying electrochemical reactions and side reactions.
Main Results:
- Titanium (Ti) demonstrated superior electrochemical performance and immunity to side reactions.
- Copper (Cu) substrates exhibited significant side reactions, potentially causing false positives.
- Aluminum (Al) and Stainless Steel (SS) also showed limitations compared to Ti.
Conclusions:
- Titanium (Ti) is the recommended current collector for reliable aqueous ZIB testing.
- Standardizing current collector selection is essential for comparable and accurate ZIB research.
- Understanding substrate-specific reactions is key to improving battery performance evaluation.
Related Concept Videos
03:02Standard Electrode Potentials
On comparing the reactivity of silver and lead, it is observed that the two ionic species, Ag+ (aq) and Pb2+ (aq), show a difference in their redox reactivity towards copper: the silver ion undergoes spontaneous reduction, while the lead ion does not. This relative redox activity can be easily quantified in electrochemical cells by a property called cell potential. This property is commonly known as cell voltage in electrochemistry, and it is a measure of the energy which accompanies the charge...
01:08Electrodeposition
Electrodeposition is a technique used to separate an analyte from interferents by electrochemical processes. Here, the analyte is a metal ion that can be deposited on an electrode immersed in the sample solution. The electrochemical setup consists of an anode and a cathode. When an electric current is applied to the setup, oxidation occurs at the anode. At the cathode, which consists of a large metal surface, metal ions undergo reduction and deposit onto the surface.
Electrodeposition can...
Electrodeposition can...
01:24Types of Reversible Electrodes
For electrode reversibility to be maintained, all the reactants and products involved in the half-reaction must be present at the electrode. There are several types of reversible electrodes (half-cells).In metal-metal-ion electrodes, a metal balances electrochemically with a solution of its own ions. Examples are Cu2+|Cu and Zn2+|Zn. Metals that react with the solvent, like group 1 and most group 2 metals, which react with water, and zinc, which reacts with aqueous acidic solutions, cannot be...
01:28Electrochemical Cells
Electrochemical cells are systems that convert chemical energy into electrical energy or use electrical energy to drive chemical reactions. They consist of two electrodes in contact with an electrolyte, where redox reactions enable electron transfer. Most electrochemical cells include two half-cells connected by an external wire for electron flow and a salt bridge for ion flow. The salt bridge contains an electrolyte solution and maintains charge neutrality by allowing ions—not electrons—to...
02:47Voltaic/Galvanic Cells
Spontaneous Chemical Reactions
Spontaneous redox reactions occur abundantly in nature. The chemical reaction occurring in a disposable AA battery powering our remote controls is one such example of a spontaneous redox reaction. Another example is the immersion of coiled copper wire into an aqueous silver nitrate solution. The reaction shows a gradual, visually impressive color change from colorless to bright blue and the formation of a grey precipitate on the copper wire. In this experiment,...
Spontaneous redox reactions occur abundantly in nature. The chemical reaction occurring in a disposable AA battery powering our remote controls is one such example of a spontaneous redox reaction. Another example is the immersion of coiled copper wire into an aqueous silver nitrate solution. The reaction shows a gradual, visually impressive color change from colorless to bright blue and the formation of a grey precipitate on the copper wire. In this experiment,...
01:29Concentration Cells
A concentration cell is an electrochemical cell in which the emf arises from a difference in concentration of a species between two half-cells. Unlike galvanic cells, where electrical energy comes from a chemical reaction, the driving force here is the transfer of matter from a region of higher concentration to lower concentration. The overall process is therefore physical in nature. A classic illustration is a cell made of two chlorine electrodes operating at different chlorine gas...