Ionic buffer layer design for stabilizing Zn electrodes in aqueous Zn-based batteries

Aqueous Zn-based batteries (AZBs) are hindered by issues associated with the Zn electrodeposition process (ZEDP) on electrode surfaces, including passivation, dendrite formation, and hydrogen evolution. One of the important reasons is the drastic fluctuation in the concentration of Zn2+ ions on the...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yifan Cui, Yanyi Ma, Zhongxi Zhao, Jianwen Yu, Yongtang Chen, Yi He, Peng Tan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co. Ltd. 2024-11-01
Series:Materials Reports: Energy
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266693582400065X
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850219001665290240
author Yifan Cui
Yanyi Ma
Zhongxi Zhao
Jianwen Yu
Yongtang Chen
Yi He
Peng Tan
author_facet Yifan Cui
Yanyi Ma
Zhongxi Zhao
Jianwen Yu
Yongtang Chen
Yi He
Peng Tan
author_sort Yifan Cui
collection DOAJ
description Aqueous Zn-based batteries (AZBs) are hindered by issues associated with the Zn electrodeposition process (ZEDP) on electrode surfaces, including passivation, dendrite formation, and hydrogen evolution. One of the important reasons is the drastic fluctuation in the concentration of Zn2+ ions on the electrode surface during the charging and discharging process. In this work, an electrolyte with Zn2+ ion buffer layer (EZIBL) is proposed to regulate the ZEDP. First, numerical simulations and corresponding experiments are conducted to assess the impact of different thicknesses of the Zn2+ ion buffer layer (ZIBL) on the variation in Zn2+ ion concentration, from which the optimal thickness of the ZIBL is determined. Then, the regulation role of EZIBL in the cycling process is demonstrated by a Zn-Cu half cell. Further, combined with the potential profile of the symmetric cell and the experimental phenomena, the regulation role of EZIBL in ZEDP is systematically explained at the mechanistic level through the analysis of key parameters. Finally, a full battery composed of Zn-LiMn2O4 is assembled to evaluate the practical applicability of the EZIBL in real battery cycles, which shows great enhancement in capacity retention and coulombic efficiency. This work proposes the design of the EZIBL used to regulate the ZEDP and provides a simple, low-cost regulation method for the development of high-performance AZBs.
format Article
id doaj-art-41a0bfa8822e4f41bd2804fc476c7603
institution OA Journals
issn 2666-9358
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher KeAi Communications Co. Ltd.
record_format Article
series Materials Reports: Energy
spelling doaj-art-41a0bfa8822e4f41bd2804fc476c76032025-08-20T02:07:31ZengKeAi Communications Co. Ltd.Materials Reports: Energy2666-93582024-11-014410029210.1016/j.matre.2024.100292Ionic buffer layer design for stabilizing Zn electrodes in aqueous Zn-based batteriesYifan Cui0Yanyi Ma1Zhongxi Zhao2Jianwen Yu3Yongtang Chen4Yi He5Peng Tan6Department of Thermal Science and Energy Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Hefei, 230026, Anhui, ChinaDepartment of Thermal Science and Energy Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Hefei, 230026, Anhui, ChinaDepartment of Thermal Science and Energy Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Hefei, 230026, Anhui, ChinaDepartment of Thermal Science and Energy Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Hefei, 230026, Anhui, ChinaDepartment of Thermal Science and Energy Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Hefei, 230026, Anhui, ChinaDepartment of Thermal Science and Energy Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China; Corresponding author.Department of Thermal Science and Energy Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China; State Key Laboratory of Fire Science, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China; Corresponding author. Department of Thermal Science and Energy Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China.Aqueous Zn-based batteries (AZBs) are hindered by issues associated with the Zn electrodeposition process (ZEDP) on electrode surfaces, including passivation, dendrite formation, and hydrogen evolution. One of the important reasons is the drastic fluctuation in the concentration of Zn2+ ions on the electrode surface during the charging and discharging process. In this work, an electrolyte with Zn2+ ion buffer layer (EZIBL) is proposed to regulate the ZEDP. First, numerical simulations and corresponding experiments are conducted to assess the impact of different thicknesses of the Zn2+ ion buffer layer (ZIBL) on the variation in Zn2+ ion concentration, from which the optimal thickness of the ZIBL is determined. Then, the regulation role of EZIBL in the cycling process is demonstrated by a Zn-Cu half cell. Further, combined with the potential profile of the symmetric cell and the experimental phenomena, the regulation role of EZIBL in ZEDP is systematically explained at the mechanistic level through the analysis of key parameters. Finally, a full battery composed of Zn-LiMn2O4 is assembled to evaluate the practical applicability of the EZIBL in real battery cycles, which shows great enhancement in capacity retention and coulombic efficiency. This work proposes the design of the EZIBL used to regulate the ZEDP and provides a simple, low-cost regulation method for the development of high-performance AZBs.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266693582400065XZn electrodeposition processZn2+ ion buffer layerPotential profileNumerical modelingOptical observation
spellingShingle Yifan Cui
Yanyi Ma
Zhongxi Zhao
Jianwen Yu
Yongtang Chen
Yi He
Peng Tan
Ionic buffer layer design for stabilizing Zn electrodes in aqueous Zn-based batteries
Materials Reports: Energy
Zn electrodeposition process
Zn2+ ion buffer layer
Potential profile
Numerical modeling
Optical observation
title Ionic buffer layer design for stabilizing Zn electrodes in aqueous Zn-based batteries
title_full Ionic buffer layer design for stabilizing Zn electrodes in aqueous Zn-based batteries
title_fullStr Ionic buffer layer design for stabilizing Zn electrodes in aqueous Zn-based batteries
title_full_unstemmed Ionic buffer layer design for stabilizing Zn electrodes in aqueous Zn-based batteries
title_short Ionic buffer layer design for stabilizing Zn electrodes in aqueous Zn-based batteries
title_sort ionic buffer layer design for stabilizing zn electrodes in aqueous zn based batteries
topic Zn electrodeposition process
Zn2+ ion buffer layer
Potential profile
Numerical modeling
Optical observation
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266693582400065X
work_keys_str_mv AT yifancui ionicbufferlayerdesignforstabilizingznelectrodesinaqueousznbasedbatteries
AT yanyima ionicbufferlayerdesignforstabilizingznelectrodesinaqueousznbasedbatteries
AT zhongxizhao ionicbufferlayerdesignforstabilizingznelectrodesinaqueousznbasedbatteries
AT jianwenyu ionicbufferlayerdesignforstabilizingznelectrodesinaqueousznbasedbatteries
AT yongtangchen ionicbufferlayerdesignforstabilizingznelectrodesinaqueousznbasedbatteries
AT yihe ionicbufferlayerdesignforstabilizingznelectrodesinaqueousznbasedbatteries
AT pengtan ionicbufferlayerdesignforstabilizingznelectrodesinaqueousznbasedbatteries