Recent Progress in Extending the Cycle‐Life of Secondary Zn‐Air Batteries

Abstract

Secondary Zn‐air batteries with stable voltage and long cycle‐life are of immediate interest to meet global energy storage needs at various scales. Although primary Zn‐air batteries have been widely used since the early 1930s, large‐scale development of electrically rechargeable variants has not been fully realized due to their short cycle‐life. In this work, we review some of the most recent and effective strategies to extend the cycle‐life of Zn‐air batteries. Firstly, diverse degradation routes in Zn‐air batteries will be discussed, linking commonly observed failure modes with the possible mechanisms and root causes. Next, we evaluate the most recent and effective strategies aimed at tackling individual or multiple of these degradation routes. Both aspects of cell architecture design and materials engineering of the electrodes and the electrolytes will be thoroughly covered. Finally, we offer our perspective on how the cycle‐life of Zn‐air batteries can be extended with concerted and tailored research directions to pave the way for their use as the most promising secondary battery system of the future.

Advanced Zinc–Air Batteries with Free-Standing Hierarchical Nanostructures of the Air Cathode for Portable Applications

“…In the postmortem Raman spectra (Figure S8b), the D and G bands of the CP substrate Uneven Zn deposition, as represented by dendrite formation and shape change, has been indicated as the primary reason for zinc electrode deterioration. 57,58 Zn, a metal, corrodes by the parasitic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) produced through the reaction of Zn and water. The Zn dendrites often perforate the separator and short-circuit the battery, while the morphology change of Zn anodes provokes the creation of "dead" Zn and henceforth low Coulombic efficiency.…”

Recent Development of Polyaniline/graphene Composite Electrodes for Flexible Supercapacitor Devices

“…[5] Moreover, the practical application of flexible Li-ion batteries also faces bottlenecks, such as degradation of the cell under deformation, complex cell fabrication process, and safety issues (e. g., lithium plating and thermal runaway). [6,7] On the other hand, the advancement of supercapacitors is gaining interest due to the possibility of possessing high power density, ultra-long lifespan, fast charge-discharge cycle, good safety performance, a wide range of operating temperatures, and low production cost. [8,9] In recent years, the development of flexible supercapacitors has focused on materials and structural designs to meet the electrochemical and flexibility requirement of wearable devices.…”

“…Although conventional Li‐ion batteries can deliver high and stable electrochemical performance, their rigid structure prevents their utilization in wearable applications [5] . Moreover, the practical application of flexible Li‐ion batteries also faces bottlenecks, such as degradation of the cell under deformation, complex cell fabrication process, and safety issues (e. g., lithium plating and thermal runaway) [6,7] …”

Frontiers and Structural Engineering for Building Flexible Zinc–Air Batteries

“…[25] In addition, the electrochemical cycling life is also essential. [26,27] 3) The flexible batteries should meet the requirements of mechanical stability under deformation conditions, such as continuously twisting, bending, or stretching. [28] Besides, in some cases, wearing comfort is also an important factor to be taken into consideration when designing flexible batteries.…”