Solvation chemistry tailored via dielectric constant engineering for stable low-temperature aqueous zinc batteries.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 41741436.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-026-69740-2 and PMC identifier 13047007.
- Licence recorded as CC BY-NC-ND.
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Abstract
Aqueous zinc-metal batteries are promising candidates for sustainable energy storage; but their practical viability is severely limited by poor cryogenic performance caused by kinetic sluggishness and interfacial instability. Here we show a strategy for low-temperature ZMBs based on tailoring the Zn<sup>2+</sup> solvation environment by engineering the dielectric constant (ε). By incorporating ethyl acetate, a low-ε co-solvent, into a Zn(ClO<sub>4</sub>)<sub>2</sub> electrolyte, we strategically weaken water's hydrogen-bond network and increase cation-anion pairing. This modified solvation structure accelerates Zn<sup>2</sup>⁺ transport and desolvation, promotes the formation of a protective solid electrolyte interphase rich in organic and inorganic components, and inhibits parasitic hydrogen evolution. Consequently, the optimized electrolyte enhances Zn plating/stripping stability, with Zn||Zn cells operating at 0.2 mA cm<sup>-2</sup> for 10 months (25 °C) and 1 mA cm<sup>-2</sup> for 4,000 hours (-50 °C), and Zn||PANI batteries at 1 A g<sup>-1</sup> sustaining 10,000 cycles with negligible degradation (-50 °C). This work highlights the critical importance of dielectric constant engineering in electrolyte design and paves the way for high-performance, low-temperature aqueous batteries.