Realizing wide-temperature Zn metal anodes through concurrent interface stability regulation and solvation structure modulation

Hou，Zhen1; Lu，Ziheng2,3; Chen，Qianwen4; Zhang，Biao1,5

2021-11-01

10.1016/j.ensm.2021.08.011

Energy Storage Materials   影响因子和分区

2405-8297

Stable cycling of Zn metal anodes under thermal extremes remains a grand challenge with the corresponding failure mechanisms largely unexplored. Here, we unravel the origin of thermal instability during Zn plating/stripping. The low temperature renders deteriorative dendrites growth, while a high temperature causes aggravating parasitic reactions. Zn metal/electrolyte interface and electrolyte solvation chemistry are then regulated via the introduction of oligomer poly(ethylene glycol) dimethyl ether as a competitive-solvent into the aqueous electrolyte to circumvent these issues. Complementary experimental and theoretical studies demonstrate that the competitive-solvent shifts water-occupied interface into oligomer one through preferential Zn surface adsorption, enabling dendrite-free Zn morphologies. Furthermore, such solvent alters the electrolyte interaction by re-constructing oligomer/water hydrogen bonds and participating in the solvation sheath of Zn ions, which highly alleviates parasitic reactions. Consequently, Zn metal anodes deliver more than 1600 h Zn cyclic lifetime at all the tested temperatures of 0, 25 and 50 °C, over 10-fold enhancement than in pristine electrolytes. Application-wise, competitive-solvent suppresses the fast cathode dissolution because of highly reduced water activities and realizes the stable Zn/VO full cells over a wide temperature range from -15 to 65 °C.

Competitive-solvent Dendrites growth Parasitic reactions Thermal instability Wide-temperature Zn metal anodes

SCI ; EI

英语

其他

WOS:000701756700012

20213410793246

Anodes ; Electrolytes ; Fuels ; Hydrogen bonds ; Oligomers ; Polyethylene glycols ; Solvation ; Temperature ; Thermodynamic stability

Thermodynamics:641.1 ; Electric Batteries and Fuel Cells:702 ; Electron Tubes:714.1 ; Physical Chemistry:801.4 ; Chemical Reactions:802.2 ; Chemical Agents and Basic Industrial Chemicals:803 ; Chemical Products Generally:804 ; Organic Polymers:815.1.1

2-s2.0-85112786261

Scopus

1.Department of Applied Physics,The Hong Kong Polytechnic University,Hung Hom,Hong Kong
2.Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Shenzhen,518055,China
3.Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy,University of Cambridge,Cambridge,CB3 0FS,United Kingdom
4.Department of Chemistry,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,518055,China
5.Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Photonic-Thermal-Electrical Energy Materials and Devices,Research Institute for Smart Energy,The Hong Kong Polytechnic University,Hung Hom,Hong Kong

Hou，Zhen,Lu，Ziheng,Chen，Qianwen,et al. Realizing wide-temperature Zn metal anodes through concurrent interface stability regulation and solvation structure modulation[J]. Energy Storage Materials,2021,42:517-525.

Hou，Zhen,Lu，Ziheng,Chen，Qianwen,&Zhang，Biao.(2021).Realizing wide-temperature Zn metal anodes through concurrent interface stability regulation and solvation structure modulation.Energy Storage Materials,42,517-525.

Hou，Zhen,et al."Realizing wide-temperature Zn metal anodes through concurrent interface stability regulation and solvation structure modulation".Energy Storage Materials 42(2021):517-525.