Ultrastable Zinc Anodes Enabled by Anti-Dehydration Ionic Liquid Polymer Electrolyte for Aqueous Zn Batteries

Abstract

The side reaction and dendrite of a zinc anode in an aqueous electrolyte represent a huge obstacle for the development of rechargeable aqueous Zn batteries. An electrolyte with confined water is recognized to fundamentally stabilize the zinc anode. This work proposes acetamide/zinc perchlorate hexahydrate (AA/ZPH) ionic liquid (IL)polyacrylamide (PAM) polymer electrolytes, here defined as IL-PAM. The novel Zn 2+ -conducting IL is able to accommodate trace water and can achieve both high conductivity (15.02 mS cm −1 ) and alleviation of side reactions (>90% reduction). Cross-linked PAM acts as the threedimensional framework to suppress dendrites and obtain flexibility. As a result, the Zn anode with IL-PAM can cycle stably over 2000 h with a record highest cumulative capacity of 3000 mAh cm −2 and well-preserved morphology. Based on IL-PAM, the flexible LFP|Zn hybrid batteries can be successfully assembled and operate normally in series and parallel conditions. Moreover, the low volatility of IL and binding forces exerted by the PAM network endues IL-PAM with an antidehydration property. In a 50 °C unsealed environment, the weight loss of IL-PAM is about two-fifths of PAM hydrogel and an aqueous electrolyte, and the corresponding hybrid battery with IL-PAM can also prolong a 4 times longer lifespan.

From room temperature to harsh temperature applications: Fundamentals and perspectives on electrolytes in zinc metal batteries

“…8E ). Ionic liquids with intrinsic low flammability and negligible volatility, such as acetamide/zinc perchlorate hexahydrate with PAM, can be used to synthesize electrolytes with good thermal stability ( 84 ).…”

Construction of Mixed Ionic‐Electronic Conducting Scaffolds in Zn Powder: A Scalable Route to Dendrite‐Free and Flexible Zn Anodes

“…In particular, Zn anodes experience uncontrollable Zn dendrite growth during the repeated uneven Zn stripping/plating process (Figure 1a), which easily induces short-circuits, representing a safety hazard, and causes irreversible capacity loss, poor cycling efficiency, and an inferior rate performance for Zn-based batteries. [9,10] To address this limitation, considerable effort has been devoted to mitigate Zn dendrite growth by developing various strategies, such as adjustment of electrolyte composition, [11][12][13][14][15] construction of an artificial solid-electrolyte interphase, [16][17][18][19][20] modification of the separator, [21][22][23] and the engineering of structured Zn anodes. [24,25] One promising approach is to build a 3D structural scaffold for confining Zn, which would effectively contain the uniform Zn stripping/plating behavior inside the anode framework, thereby enhancing the cycling stability of Zn metal anodes.…”

Initiating a high-temperature zinc ion battery through a triazolium-based ionic liquid

“…9(c) ), which is due to the accelerated water-induced side reaction, and a similar phenomenon was observed in aqueous ZIBs. 59 On the contrary, no obvious dendrites and cathode dissolution could be observed in the T1S-20 electrolyte-based ZIB under the same condition ( Fig. 9(d) ).…”