HIGHLY REVERSIBLE ZINC ANODES TOWARD PRACTICAL AQUEOUS ZINC BATTERIES

Abstract

Aqueous zinc batteries show great promise for grid-scale energy storage due to their intrinsic safety and low cost. However, they are faced with problems including Zn dendrite growth and interfacial side reactions. The interfacial modification, electrolyte additives, and hydrogel electrolytes have been applied to solve these issues. To investigate the Zn nucleation mechanism, we have constructed zincophilic MOF nanoarrays, realizing U-shaped Zn deposition for long-life Zn batteries. To improve the Zn2+ transport, we have devised a negatively charged carbon quantum dot additive that can mitigate the interfacial concentration gradient, enabling fast mass transport at high rates. Considering the challenges of scaling up Zn batteries for practical applications, we have combined a gel electrolyte with a gas-releasing electrolyte-replenishing cell configuration, presenting a new paradigm for Zn batteries. This new approach allows for the practical realization of large-scale aqueous Zn batteries.