Rechargeable Zn/PEDOT Battery with an Imidazolium‐Based Ionic Liquid as the Electrolyte

Abstract

A non‐aqueous secondary battery has been constructed by using Zn metal as the anode and chemically synthesised PEDOT as the cathode, with a 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium dicyanamide ionic liquid as the electrolyte, which avoids dendritic growth processes on the Zn surface upon charge/discharge cycling. The novel Zn/PEDOT rechargeable cell shows high efficiency and cycling ability, performing over 320 cycles with no indication of short circuit. Both the Zn and PEDOT surfaces showed minimal signs of degradation, suggesting that a Zn/PEDOT electrochemical device would be capable of extended cycle life under numerous charge/discharge cycles.

An Ionic Liquid‐Surface Functionalized Polystyrene Spheres Hybrid Electrolyte for Rechargeable Zinc/Conductive Polymer Batteries

“…In order to increase the conductivity, the cathode was prepared by mixing PPP with carbon black. The battery delivers a capacity of ∼48 mAh g(PPP) −1 between 0.3 V and 1.8 V at a rate of 0.2 C, which is comparable with a Zn/PEDOT battery with an IL electrolyte . The charge and discharge curves do not show obvious voltage plateaus, because the degree of doping varies during charging/discharging .…”

Voltammetric Study and Electrodeposition of Zinc in Hydrophobic Room-Temperature Ionic Liquid 1-Butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium Bis((trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl)imide ([BMP][TFSI]): A Comparison between Chloride and TFSI Salts of Zinc

“…Moreover, if aprotic ILs are used, hydrogen evolution, which is usually encountered in the electrodeposition of active metals such as Zn in aqueous solutions, can be significantly suppressed, leading to a more controllable surface morphology and higher current efficiency. Zn has been successfully electrodeposited from the traditional Lewis acidic ILs, 7-10 the air-and water-stable ILs, 3,[11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] To search a common source of Zn ions and a suitable IL for the electrodeposition of Zn metal, however, is still important.The hydrophobic RTIL 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis ((trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl)imide ([BMP][TFSI]) has been widely used for the study of metal and alloy electrodeposition in view of various advantages, such as wide electrochemical window, wide temperature range as a liquid, relatively high conductivity, low viscosity, high hydrophobicity, and so on. Nevertheless, a problem is always encountered when this IL is used for electrodeposition; that is the poor solubility of common metal salts, such as metal chlorides.…”

Organic Cathode Materials for Rechargeable Zinc Batteries: Mechanisms, Challenges, and Perspectives

“…Simons et al. designed a Zn–PEDOT battery through employing an imidazolium‐based ionic‐liquid (IL) electrolyte (1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium dicyanamide, [C 2 mim][dca]) . As illustrated in the SEM images in Figure a, the active materials exist as a crust composed of submicron‐sized particles on the surface of carbon paper, instead of penetrating into the underlying base network.…”

“…In this system, a high CE of over 96 % was obtained upon cycling and a slight capacity fading caused by self‐discharging of the conducting polymers was observed. In addition, the Zn–PEDOT battery with poly(IL)‐based electrolyte exhibits a capacity of 51 mAh g −1 at 0.01 mA cm −2 , which is superior to that of previously reported Zn–PEDOT batteries …”