Ultrahigh-rate and ultralong-life aqueous batteries enabled by special pair-dancing proton transfer

Abstract

The design of Faradaic battery electrodes with high rate capability and long cycle life comparable to those of supercapacitors is a grand challenge. Here, we bridge this performance gap by taking advantage of a unique ultrafast proton conduction mechanism in vanadium oxide electrode, developing an aqueous battery with untrahigh rate capability up to 1000 C (400 A g −1 ) and extremely long life of 0.2 million cycles. The mechanism is elucidated by comprehensive experimental and theoretical results. Instead of slow individual Zn 2+ transfer or Grotthuss chain transfer of confined H + , the ultrafast kinetics and excellent cyclic stability are enabled by rapid 3D proton transfer in vanadium oxide via the special pair dance switching between Eigen and Zundel configurations with little constraint and low energy barriers. This work provides insight into developing high-power and long-life electrochemical energy storage devices with nonmetal ion transfer through special pair dance topochemistry dictated by hydrogen bond.

Structure regulation and synchrotron radiation investigation of cathode materials for aqueous Zn-ion batteries

“…Secondly, AZIBs have demonstrated remarkably high-rate performance. 161,162 However, it is still unclear whether H + or Zn 2+ contributes dominantly under such high current densities. Based on the advantages of synchrotron light source, millisecond time-resolved XRD and XAFS, as well as other techniques are developed, making it possible to study the structural evolution of cathodes in AZIBs at ultra-high current densities.…”

Zinc ion Batteries: Bridging the Gap from Academia to Industry for Grid‐Scale Energy Storage

“…This includes various modification strategies, such as using electrolyte modification (including additives, high concentration systems, hydrogels, etc. [27] ), introducing guest species between cathode material layers for a "pillar effect", [28] including oxygen vacancies (eg. NH 4 V 4 O 10 ), or modifying natrium super ionic conductor type cathode (eg.…”

H2O‐Mg2+ Waltz‐Like Shuttle Enables High‐Capacity and Ultralong‐Life Magnesium‐Ion Batteries

“…The lattice H 2 O molecules were reported to rapidly shuttle H + in their immobilized network via the strong interaction between H + and H 2 O molecules, which suggests a possible similar ability to shuttle Mg 2+ . [ 11 ] Recent studies disclosed that the lattice H 2 O molecules in the cathode can 1) partially shield the electrostatic interaction between Mg 2+ and cathode; and 2) stabilize the lamellar structure as pillars, either in the aqueous or organic MIBs. [ 12 , 13 , 14 ] The solvent H 2 O molecules can even be inserted into the narrow spacing of lamellar cathode prior to cations, which impel the following co‐(de)insertion of Mg 2+ /H + in aqueous MIBs.…”