A tripartite synergistic optimization strategy for zinc-iodine batteries.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 39516203.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-024-53800-6 and PMC identifier 11549484.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
The energy industry has taken notice of zinc-iodine (Zn-I<sub>2</sub>) batteries for their high safety, low cost, and attractive energy density. However, the shuttling of I<sub>3</sub><sup>-</sup> by-products at cathode electrode and dendrite issues at Zn metal anode result in short cycle lifespan. Here, a tripartite synergistic optimization strategy is proposed, involving a MXene cathode host, a n-butanol electrolyte additive, and the in-situ solid electrolyte interface (SEI) protection. The MXene possesses catalytic ability to enhance the reaction kinetics and reduce I<sub>3</sub><sup>-</sup> by-products. Meanwhile, the partially dissolved n-butanol additive can work synergistically with MXene to inhibit the shuttling of I<sub>3</sub><sup>-</sup>. Besides, the n-butanol and I<sup>-</sup> in the electrolyte can synergistically improve the solvation structure of Zn<sup>2+</sup>. Moreover, an organic-inorganic hybrid SEI is in situ generated on the surface of the Zn anode, which induces stable non-dendritic zinc deposition. As a result, the fabricated batteries exhibit a high capacity of 0.30 mAh cm<sup>-2</sup> and a superior energy density of 0.34 mWh cm<sup>-2</sup> at a high specific current of 5 A g<sup>-1</sup> across 30,000 cycles, with a minimal capacity decay of 0.0004% per cycle. This work offers a promising strategy for the subsequent research to comprehensively improve battery performance.