Issue 6, 2023

A hydrated deep eutectic electrolyte with finely-tuned solvation chemistry for high-performance zinc-ion batteries

Abstract

Despite their cost-effectiveness and intrinsic safety, aqueous zinc-ion batteries have faced challenges with poor reversibility originating from various active water-induced side reactions. After systematically scrutinizing the effects of water on the evolution of solvation structures, electrolyte properties, and electrochemical performances through experimental and theoretical approaches, a hydrated deep eutectic electrolyte with a water-deficient solvation structure ([Zn(H2O)2(eg)2(otf)2]) and reduced free water content in the bulk solution is proposed in this work. This electrolyte can dramatically suppress water-induced side reactions and provide high Zn2+ mass transfer kinetics, resulting in highly reversible Zn anodes (∼99.6% Coulombic efficiency over 1000 cycles and stable cycling over 4500 h) and high capacity Zn//NVO full cells (436 mA h g−1). This work will aid the understanding of electrolyte solvation structure–electrolyte property–electrochemical performance relationships of aqueous electrolytes in aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

Graphical abstract: A hydrated deep eutectic electrolyte with finely-tuned solvation chemistry for high-performance zinc-ion batteries

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
12 Feb 2023
Accepted
13 Apr 2023
First published
14 Apr 2023
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Energy Environ. Sci., 2023,16, 2540-2549

A hydrated deep eutectic electrolyte with finely-tuned solvation chemistry for high-performance zinc-ion batteries

R. Chen, C. Zhang, J. Li, Z. Du, F. Guo, W. Zhang, Y. Dai, W. Zong, X. Gao, J. Zhu, Y. Zhao, X. Wang and G. He, Energy Environ. Sci., 2023, 16, 2540 DOI: 10.1039/D3EE00462G

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