Highly Sustainable Zinc Anodes for a Rechargeable Hybrid Aqueous Battery

Abstract

The synthesis of novel zinc electrodes has been successfully implemented by using the electroplating method with the aid of inorganic additives in the electroplating solution. The selected inorganic additives are indium sulfate, tin oxide, and boric acid. From X-ray diffraction results, these synthesized zinc electrodes prefer (002) and/or (103) crystallographic orientations, representing basal morphology and high resistance to dendrite growth. The corrosion rates of these electroplated zinc samples decrease as much as 11 times smaller than the corrosion rate on zinc foil when the zinc materials are in contact with the aqueous electrolyte of a rechargeable hybrid aqueous battery (ReHAB). The ReHABs employing these anodes exhibit up to a threefold decrease in float charge current density after a seven-day constant-voltage charging at 2.1 V versus Zn /Zn. Furthermore, the capacity retention is up to 15 % higher than the performance of battery containing commercial Zn after 1000 cycles of charge-discharge. The significant advancements are attributed to the careful preparation of the anode, which contains appropriate crystallographic orientation and morphology.

Activating C‐Coordinated Iron of Iron Hexacyanoferrate for Zn Hybrid‐Ion Batteries with 10 000‐Cycle Lifespan and Superior Rate Capability

“…Furthermore, the SAED image revealed the well‐sustained crystalline structure with apparent diffraction spots of (200) and (220) and a good cubic structure after the long cycling process, which was also evidenced by the XRD patterns of FeHCF cathode before and after cycling as mentioned above in Figure S7 (Supporting Information). Besides, the electrochemically stable plating/stripping during the repeated charging/discharging processes of Zn electrode also plays a significant role in this ultralong‐term cycling, which was convincingly demonstrated by the voltage–time curve with long lifespan yet low polarization at both low and high current densities (1 and 10 mA cm −2 , corresponding to 60 and 6 min per cycle, respectively), and dendrite‐free surface (Figure S14, Supporting Information) . This ultralong lifespan of 10 000 cycles with a high capacity retention of 73% outperforms all of the Zn–PBA batteries reported before (Figure h), demonstrating the enormous potential of the high‐voltage‐induced activation strategy …”

Recent Progress of Rechargeable Batteries Using Mild Aqueous Electrolytes

“…The achieved 98% coulombic efficiency for Zn‐Al‐LDH electrode is much higher than that for bare metallic Zn (≈85%). Chen and co‐workers prepared plating zinc electrode possessing less hydrogen gas evolution and dendrite formation by an optimized neutral electrolyte (0.6 m zinc sulfate and 0.1 m ammonium sulfate) containing selected inorganic additives (indium sulfate, tin oxide, and boric acid). The advantages can be ascribed to the special crystallography and surface texture of the plating zinc materials .…”

“…Chen and co‐workers prepared plating zinc electrode possessing less hydrogen gas evolution and dendrite formation by an optimized neutral electrolyte (0.6 m zinc sulfate and 0.1 m ammonium sulfate) containing selected inorganic additives (indium sulfate, tin oxide, and boric acid). The advantages can be ascribed to the special crystallography and surface texture of the plating zinc materials . Very recently, Fan and co‐workers reported the dendrite‐free zinc battery, in which a Zn nanoflakes array anode and an optimized quasi‐solid‐state electrolyte are explored.…”

Dendrites issues and advances in Zn anode for aqueous rechargeable Zn‐based batteries

“… 39 Various electrolyte additives including both organic and inorganic in electrodeposition for the Zn anode were proven to alter the preferred crystal orientation and the surface texture 40,41 . Typically, the adding of boric acid was found to transfer the preferred plane from (103) to (002) (Figure 2A) and showed a dense and orientated texture (Figure 2B) delivering better electrochemical chemical performance than the deposited the Zn anode with other selected additives or commercial Zn foil 42 . Artfully, Archer et al reported reversible epitaxial electrodeposition of a Zn anode using the low lattice mismatch material‐graphene to lock the crystallographic orientation of the deposited Zn 43 .…”

“…A, XRD results of electroplated Zn with 0, 50, 100, and 500 ppm of boric acid and commercialized Zn foil, B. SEM images of Zn deposits with 0 (no additive), 50, 100, and 500 ppm of boric acid in electroplating bath (magnification 1 k). Reproduced with permission from Reference 42. Copyright 2019 WILET‐VCH…”