Realizing Reversible Photo-Charging via Stacked 1T/2H MoS2 Bifunctional Cathodes for Photo-Rechargeable Batteries
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Updated: Nov 3, 2026

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Published on: November 10, 2014
Jinghao Li1, Youwei Jiang2, Jie Huang1
1State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Abstract:
Photo-rechargeable batteries that integrate solar energy harvesting, conversion, and storage in a single device are able to efficiently utilize sustainable energy. However, current photo-batteries based on bifunctional (photovoltaic conversion and energy storage) cathodes could only achieve photo-assisted charging, whereas light-only photo-charging remains incomplete and irreversible. Particularly, in absence of a photo-charging circuit, the observed charging phenomena are pseudo photo-charging due to side reactions. To realize genuine photo-charging, we design a bifunctional cathode of MoS2 by integrating photo active (2H) and energy storage (1T) phases. Nickel oxide is introduced to improve the interface conductivity and stabilize the 2H/1T phases of MoS2. Additionally, we employed an external resistance to balance the self-discharge current and the photo-charging current under illumination. For the first time, we demonstrate Zn2+ photo-batteries that can be reversibly photo-charged for over ten times, and the deposition of zinc at the anode is visualized. The photo-rechargeable batteries could realize a photo-charging capacity ratio of 100% by2 h illumination, with a specific capacity of 110.55 mAh g-1. Furthermore, we assemble a sustainable energy harvest-conversion-storage mini-system that could practically provide energy to portable electronics.
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