The Influence of Dimethyl Sulfoxide as Electrolyte Additive on Anodic Dissolution of Alkaline Zinc-Air Flow Battery

A Review of Rechargeable Zinc-Air Batteries: Recent Progress and Future Perspectives

Zinc-air batteries (ZABs) are gaining attention as an ideal option for various applications requiring high-capacity batteries, such as portable electronics, electric vehicles, and renewable energy storage. ZABs offer advantages such as low environmental impact, enhanced safety compared to Li-ion batteries, and cost-effectiveness due to the abundance of zinc. However, early research faced challenges due to parasitic reactions at the zinc anode and slow oxygen redox kinetics. Recent advancements in restructuring the anode, utilizing alternative electrolytes, and developing bifunctional oxygen catalysts have significantly improved ZABs. Scientists have achieved battery reversibility over thousands of cycles, introduced new electrolytes, and achieved energy efficiency records surpassing 70%. Despite these achievements, there are challenges related to lower power density, shorter lifespan, and air electrode corrosion leading to performance degradation. This review paper discusses different battery configurations, and reaction mechanisms for electrically and mechanically rechargeable ZABs, and proposes remedies to enhance overall battery performance. The paper also explores recent advancements, applications, and the future prospects of electrically/mechanically rechargeable ZABs.

Sustainable zinc-air battery chemistry: advances, challenges and prospects

Sustainable zinc-air batteries (ZABs) are considered promising energy storage devices owing to their inherent safety, high energy density, wide operating temperature window, environmental friendliness, etc., showing great prospect for future large-scale applications. Thus, tremendous efforts have been devoted to addressing the critical challenges associated with sustainable ZABs, aiming to significantly improve their energy efficiency and prolong their operation lifespan. The growing interest in sustainable ZABs requires in-depth research on oxygen electrocatalysts, electrolytes, and Zn anodes, which have not been systematically reviewed to date. In this review, the fundamentals of ZABs, oxygen electrocatalysts for air cathodes, physicochemical properties of ZAB electrolytes, and issues and strategies for the stabilization of Zn anodes are systematically summarized from the perspective of fundamental characteristics and design principles. Meanwhile, significant advances in the in situ/operando characterization of ZABs are highlighted to provide insights into the reaction mechanism and dynamic evolution of the electrolyte|electrode interface. Finally, several critical thoughts and perspectives are provided regarding the challenges and opportunities for sustainable ZABs. Therefore, this review provides a thorough understanding of the advanced sustainable ZAB chemistry, hoping that this timely and comprehensive review can shed light on the upcoming research horizons of this prosperous area.

Dendrite-free zinc metal anodes enabled by electrolyte additive for high-performing aqueous zinc-ion batteries

Rechargeable aqueous zinc (Zn)-ion batteries are regarded as a suitable candidate for large-scale energy storage due to their high safety and the natural abundance of Zn. However, the Zn anode in the aqueous electrolyte faces the challenges of corrosion, passivation, hydrogen evolution reaction, and the growth of severe Zn dendrites. These problems severely affect the performance and service life of aqueous Zn ion batteries, making it difficult to achieve their large-scale commercial applications. In this work, the sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) additive was introduced into the zinc sulfate (ZnSO₄) electrolyte to inhibit the growth of Zn dendrites by promoting uniform deposition of Zn ions on the (002) crystal surface. This treatment presented a significant increase in the intensity ratio of (002) to (100) from an initial value of 11.14 to 15.31 after 40 cycles of plating/stripping. The Zn//Zn symmetrical cell showed a longer cycle life (over 124 h at 1.0 mA cm^-2) than the symmetrical cell without NaHCO₃. Additionally, the high capacity retention rate was increased by 20% for Zn//MnO₂ full cells. This finding is expected to be beneficial for a range of research studies that use inorganic additives to inhibit Zn dendrites and parasitic reactions in electrochemical and energy storage applications.

Dimethyl sulfoxide as a function additive on halogen-free electrolyte for magnesium battery application

Practical Mg batteries still face significant challenges in their development, like the lack of simple compatible electrolytes, self-discharge, the rapid passivation of the Mg anode, and the slow conversion reaction pathway. Here, we propose a simple halogen-free electrolyte (HFE) based on magnesium nitrate (Mg(NO₃)₂), magnesium triflate Mg(CF₃SO₃)₂, and succinonitrile (SN) dissolved in acetonitrile (ACN)/tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (G4) cosolvents, with dimethyl sulfoxide as a functional additive. The addition of DMSO to the HFE changes the interfacial structure at the magnesium anode surface and facilitates the transport of magnesium ions. The as-prepared electrolyte shows high conductivity (σ _b = 4.48 × 10^-5, 6.52 × 10^-5 and 9.41 × 10^-5 S cm^-1 at 303, 323, and 343 K, respectively) and a high ionic transference number (tmg ^₊₂ = 0.91/0.94 at room temperature/55 °C) for the matrix containing 0.75 ml of DMSO. Also, the cell with 0.75 ml of DMSO shows high oxidation stability, a very low overpotential, and steady Mg stripping/plating up to 100 h. Postmortem analysis of pristine Mg and Mg anodes extracted from disassembled Mg/HFE/Mg and Mg/HFE_0.75 ml DMSO/Mg cells after stripping/plating reveals the role of DMSO in improving Mg-ion passage through HFE by evolving the anode/electrolyte interface at the Mg surface. Further optimization of this electrolyte is expected to achieve excellent performance and good cycle stability when applied to the magnesium battery in future work.

Reversible Cyclic Voltammetry and Non-Unity Stoichiometry: The Ag/AgBr/Br- Redox Couple

The voltammetry of electrochemically reversible couples in which a soluble reactant is converted into an insoluble product is investigated computationally via simulation and, in the context of the Ag/AgBr/Br^-redox couple, experimentally. The voltammetric waveshape is characterized and, when analyzed via apparent transfer coefficient analysis, shown to give rise to apparent transfer coefficients very considerably in excess of unity, leading to the generic insight for the characterization of electrode reactions involving solution and solid phase reactants.

Comparative Review on the Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries (AZIBs) and Flexible Zinc-Ion Batteries (FZIBs)

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been considered an easily accessible battery technology because of their low weight, cheapness, etc. Unfortunately, they have significant drawbacks, such as flammability and scarcity of lithium. Since the components of zinc-ion batteries are nonflammable, nontoxic, and cheap, AZIBs could be a suitable replacement for LIBs. In this article, the advantages and drawbacks of AZIBs over other energy storage devices are briefly discussed. This review focused on the cathode materials and electrolytes for AZIBs. In addition, we discussed the approaches to improve the electrochemical performance of zinc batteries. Here, we also discussed the polymer gel electrolytes and the electrodes for flexible zinc-ion batteries (FZIBs). Moreover, we have outlined the importance of temperature and additives in a flexible zinc-ion battery. Finally, we have discussed anode materials for both AZIBs and FZIBs. This review has summarized the advantages and disadvantages of AZIBs and FZIBs for future applications in commercial battery technology.

High energy storage capabilities of CaCu3Ti4O12 for paper-based zinc-air battery

Zinc–air batteries proffer high energy density and cyclic stability at low costs but lack disadvantages like sluggish reactions at the cathode and the formation of by-products at the cathode. To resolve these issues, a new perovskite material, CaCu₃Ti₄O₁₂ (CCTO), is proposed as an efficacious electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution/reduction reactions to develop zinc–air batteries (ZAB). Synthesis of this material adopted an effective oxalate route, which led to the purity in the electrocatalyst composition. The CCTO material is a proven potential candidate for energy applications because of its high dielectric permittivity (ε) and occupies an improved ORR-OER activity with better onset potential, current density, and stability. The Tafel value for CCTO was obtained out to be 80 mV dec⁻¹. The CCTO perovskite was also evaluated for the zinc–air battery as an air electrode, corresponding to the high specific capacitance of 801 mAh g⁻¹ with the greater cyclic efficiency and minimum variations in both charge/discharge processes. The highest power density (P_max) measured was 127 mW cm⁻². Also, the CCTO based paper battery shows an excellent performance achieving a specific capacity of 614 mAh g⁻¹. The obtained results promise CCTO as a potential and cheap electrocatalyst for energy applications.

Flexible Zinc-Air Battery with High Energy Efficiency and Freezing Tolerance Enabled by DMSO-Based Organohydrogel Electrolyte

With the emergence of various flexible electronics, the flexible zinc-air battery (ZAB) is considered a promising energy source with low cost, high energy density, and safety. However, gel electrolytes that improve the freezing tolerance and energy efficiency of ZABs are rarely explored. Herein, an organohydrogel electrolyte (OHE) is fabricated by soaking poly(2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid)/polyacrylamide (PAMPS/PAAm) double-network hydrogel in aqueous KOH electrolyte with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) additive. The prepared OHE exhibits high mechanical strength and excellent ionic conductivity. In addition, the introduction of DMSO effectively improves freezing tolerance and electrochemical performance especially in energy efficiency of ZABs due to that DMSO can break the hydrogen bonds between water molecules and alter the path of the conventional oxygen evolution reaction in ZAB simultaneously. Compared with the control hydrogel electrolyte, the optimized OHE enables flexible ZABs to not only exhibit an exceptionally low charge voltage of 1.63 V, high energy efficiency of 74.2%, and long cycling life of 177 cycles, but also to operate with an excellent specific capacity of 562 mAh g^-1 and energy density of 523.4 Wh kg^-1 at -40 °C. Moreover, the obtained flexible ZABs keep a stable output under deformations and extreme low temperature, manifesting a great potential for functional wearable devices.

Immunizing Aqueous Zn Batteries against Dendrite Formation and Side Reactions at Various Temperatures via Electrolyte Additives

Aqueous Zn-ion batteries own great potential on next generation wearable batteries due to the high safety and low cost. However, the uncontrollable dendrites growth and the negligible subzero temperature performance impede the batteries practical applications. Herein, it is demonstrated that dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is an effective additive in ZnSO₄ electrolyte for side reactions and dendrites suppression by regulating the Zn-ion solvation structure and inducing the Zn²⁺ to form the more electrochemical stable (002) basal plane, via the higher absorption energy of DMSO with Zn²⁺ and (002) plane. Moreover, the stable reconstructed hydrogen bonds between DMSO and H₂ O dramatically lower the freezing point of the electrolyte, which significantly increases the ionic conductivity and cycling performance of the aqueous batteries at subzero temperatures. As a consequence, the symmetrical Zn/Zn cell can be kept stable for more than 2100 h at 20 °C and 1200 h at -20 °C without dendrite and by-products formation. The Zn/MnO₂ batteries can perform steadily for more than 3000 cycles at 20 °C and 300 cycles at -20 °C. This work provides a facile and feasible strategy on designing high performance and dendrite free aqueous Zn-ion batteries for various temperatures.

Iron sulphide rice grain nanostructures as potential electrocatalysts for an improved oxygen evolution reaction

Iron based chalcogenides are considered a promising group of electro-active materials for various electrochemical technologies. Herein we demonstrate a facile fabrication of various iron sulphide (FeS) nanostructures, including rice grains (RGS)-, nanoflowers (NFS)- and nanoparticles (NPS)-like surface morphologies via electrochemical, solvothermal and chemical strategies, respectively. The as-developed FeS nanostructures have been employed as electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in an alkaline electrolyte. Among other FeS nanostructures, FeS rice grains (FeS-RGS) exhibited an outstanding OER activity with a low onset potential (∼1.37 V), low overpotential (∼0.20 V), small Tafel slope (∼54.2 mV dec^-1), high mass activity (∼5.4 A g^-1), and high durability, outperforming the commercial state-of-the-art RuO₂ catalyst. The high-performance OER activity of the FeS-RGS is associated not only to the synergistic effect of Fe and S, but also to the direct growth (binder-free) and edges of rice grain structures, offering a large number of electrochemical active sites and ensuring fast-diffusion of OH^- ions of the nanostructures. The present one-step, low-cost and highly scalable preparation of FeS-RGS nanostructures provides new possibilities of morphology and synthetic methodology dependence of OER electrocatalysts for effective hydrogen production.

Self-Assembling Films of Covalent Organic Frameworks Enable Long-Term, Efficient Cycling of Zinc-Ion Batteries

Despite their safety, nontoxicity, and cost-effectiveness, zinc aqueous batteries still suffer from limited rechargeability and poor cycle life, largely due to spontaneous surface corrosion and formation of large Zn dendrites by irregular and uneven plating and stripping. In this work, these untoward effects are minimized by covering Zn electrodes with ultrathin layers of covalent organic frameworks, COFs. These nanoporous and mechanically flexible films form by self-assembly-via the straightforward and scalable dip-coating technique-and permit efficient mass and charge transport while suppressing surface corrosion and growth of large Zn dendrites. The batteries demonstrated have excellent capacity retention and stable polarization voltage for over 420 h of cycling at 1 mA cm^-2 . The COF films essential for these improvements can be readily deposited over large areas and curvilinear supports, enabling, for example, foldable wire-type batteries.

Phase transition-induced changes in the Raman properties of DMSO/benzene binary systems

The Raman spectra of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)/benzene binary mixtures were studied by decreasing the temperature from 333 K to 263 K with the aim to reveal the molecular interaction properties during phase transition. The intensity of the Raman band for benzene at 992 cm-1 showed an increasing trend in the liquid and solid phases, while it exhibited a highly decreasing trend during the liquid-solid phase transition. The potential energy was calculated to study the effect of intermolecular interaction distance between DMSO and benzene on Raman intensity. The observations indicated that the blueshift of the low-frequency bands of DMSO was significantly different from the redshift of its high-frequency bands. The hydrogen bond generated between DMSO and benzene was well formed in the binary systems. This interaction inducing an enhanced hydrogen bond between the binary systems and attenuated C-H bonds led to opposite Raman shift variations with decreasing temperature. The Raman bands of DMSO at 1425 cm-1, 2899 cm-1, and 2992 cm-1 each split into two peaks after phase transition. The splitting of the Raman bands of DMSO at 1417 cm-1, 2895 cm-1, and 2982 cm-1 cropped up as the temperature dropped to the transformation point of 288 K. This is attributed to the phase transition-induced latent def.(C7) atomic vibrations corresponding to the individual methyl groups of DMSO. The implications of these analyses are expected to be helpful to understand the effect of phase transition on the Raman properties of binary solutions.

Recoverable peroxidase-like Fe3O4@MoS2-Ag nanozyme with enhanced antibacterial ability

Antibacterial agents with enzyme-like properties and bacteria-binding ability have provided an alternative method to efficiently disinfect drug-resistance microorganism. Herein, a Fe₃O₄@MoS₂-Ag nanozyme with defect-rich rough surface was constructed by a simple hydrothermal method and in-situ photodeposition of Ag nanoparticles. The nanozyme exhibited good antibacterial performance against E. coli (~69.4%) by the generated ROS and released Ag⁺, while the nanozyme could further achieve an excellent synergistic disinfection (~100%) by combining with the near-infrared photothermal property of Fe₃O₄@MoS₂-Ag. The antibacterial mechanism study showed that the antibacterial process was determined by the collaborative work of peroxidase-like activity, photothermal effect and leakage of Ag⁺. The defect-rich rough surface of MoS₂ layers facilitated the capture of bacteria, which enhanced the accurate and rapid attack of •OH and Ag⁺ to the membrane of E. coli with the assistance of local hyperthermia. This method showed broad-spectrum antibacterial performance against Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria, drug-resistant bacteria and fungal bacteria. Meanwhile, the magnetism of Fe₃O₄ was used to recycle the nanozyme. This work showed great potential of engineered nanozymes for efficient disinfection treatment.

Electrooxidation of Urea in Alkaline Solution Using Nickel Hydroxide Activated Carbon Paper Electrodeposited from DMSO Solution

Electrooxidation of urea plays a substantial role in the elimination of urea-containing wastewater and industrial urea. Here, we report the electrodeposition of nickel hydroxide catalyst on commercial carbon paper (CP) electrodes from dimethyl sulphoxide solvent (Ni(OH)2-DMSO/CP) for urea electrooxidation under alkaline conditions. The physicochemical features of Ni(OH)2-DMSO/CP catalysts using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that the Ni(OH)2-DMSO/CP catalyst shows nanoparticle features, with loading of <1 wt%. The cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy revealed that the Ni(OH)2-DMSO/CP electrode has a urea oxidation onset potential of 0.33 V vs. Ag/AgCl and superior electrocatalytic performance, which is a more than 2-fold higher activity in comparison with the counterpart Ni(OH)2 catalyst prepared from the aqueous electrolyte. As expected, the enhancement in electrocatalytic activity towards urea was associated with the superficial enrichment in the electrochemically active surface area of the Ni(OH)2-DMSO/CP electrodes. The results might be a promising way to activate commercial carbon paper with efficient transition metal electrocatalysts, for urea electrooxidation uses in sustainable energy systems, and for relieving water contamination.

Experimental and computational study on roles of WOx promoting strong metal support promoter interaction in Pt catalysts during glycerol hydrogenolysis

Biodiesel is of high interest due to increased demand for energy with the concern regarding more sustainable production processes. However, an inevitable by-product is glycerol. Hence, the conversion of this by-product to higher-value chemicals, especially 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO) via glycerol hydrogenolysis reaction, is one of the most effective pathways towards a profitable process. In general, this process is catalyzed by a highly active Pt-based catalyst supported on γ-Al₂O₃. However, its low 1,3-PDO selectivity and stability due to surface deactivation of such catalysts remained. This led to the surface modification by WO_x to improve both the selectivity by means of the increased Brønsted acidity and the stability in terms of Pt leaching-resistance. Hence, we applied experimental and density functional theory (DFT)-based techniques to study the fundamentals of how WO_x modified the catalytic performance in the Pt/γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst and provided design guidelines. The effects of WO_x promoter on improved activity were due to the shifting of the total density of states towards the antibonding region evident by the total density of states (TDOS) profile. On the improved 1,3-PDO selectivity, the main reason was the increasing number of Brønsted acid sites due to the added WO_x promoter. Interestingly, the stability improvement was due to the strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) that occurred in the catalyst, like typical high leaching-resistant catalysts. Also, the observed strong metal-support-promoter interaction (SMSPI) is an additional effect preventing leaching. The SMSPI stemmed from additional bonding between the WO_x species and the Pt active site, which significantly strengthened Pt adsorption to support and a high electron transfer from both Pt and Al₂O₃ to WO_x promoter. This suggested that the promising promoter for our reaction performed in the liquid phase would improve the stability if SMSI occurred, where the special case of the WO_x promoter would even highly improve the stability through SMSPI. Nevertheless, various promoters that can promote SMSPI need investigations.

Solvation Structure Design for Aqueous Zn Metal Batteries

Aqueous Zn batteries are promising energy storage devices for large-scale energy-storage due to low cost and high energy density. However, their lifespan is limited by the water decomposition and Zn dendrite growth. Here, we suppress water reduction and Zn dendrite growth in dilute aqueous electrolyte by adding dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) into ZnCl₂-H₂O, in which DMSO replaces the H₂O in Zn²⁺ solvation sheath due to a higher Gutmann donor number (29.8) of DMSO than that (18) of H₂O. The preferential solvation of DMSO with Zn²⁺ and strong H₂O-DMSO interaction inhibit the decomposition of solvated H₂O. In addition, the decomposition of solvated DMSO forms Zn₁₂(SO₄)₃Cl₃(OH)₁₅·5H₂O, ZnSO₃, and ZnS enriched-solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) preventing Zn dendrite and further suppressing water decomposition. The ZnCl₂-H₂O-DMSO electrolyte enables Zn anodes in Zn||Ti half-cell to achieve a high average Coulombic efficiency of 99.5% for 400 cycles (400 h), and the Zn||MnO₂ full cell with a low capacity ratio of Zn:MnO₂ at 2:1 to deliver a high energy density of 212 Wh/kg (based on both cathode and anode) and maitain 95.3% of the capacity over 500 cycles at 8 C.

Linear parameter-varying model for a refuellable zinc-air battery

Due to the increasing trend of using renewable energy, the development of an energy storage system (ESS) attracts great research interest. A zinc-air battery (ZAB) is a promising ESS due to its high capacity, low cost and high potential to support circular economy principles. However, despite ZABs' technological advancements, a generic dynamic model for a ZAB, which is a key component for effective battery management and monitoring, is still lacking. ZABs show nonlinear behaviour where the steady-state gain is strongly dependent on operating conditions. The present study aims to develop a dynamic model, being capable of predicting the nonlinear dynamic behaviour of a refuellable ZAB, using a linear parameter-varying (LPV) technique. The LPV model is constructed from a family of linear time-invariant models, where the discharge current level is used as a scheduling parameter. The developed LPV model is benchmarked against linear and nonlinear model counterparts. Herein, the LPV model performs remarkably well in capturing the nonlinear behaviour of a ZAB. It significantly outperforms the linear model. Overall, the LPV approach provides a systematic way to construct a robust dynamic model which well represents the nonlinear behaviour of a ZAB.

Carboxymethyl cellulose-based polyelectrolyte as cationic exchange membrane for zinc-iodine batteries

The aim of this research is an evaluation of polyelectrolytes. In the application of zinc-iodine batteries (ZIBs), polyelectrolytes have high stability, good cationic exchange properties and high ionic conductivity. Polyelectrolytes are also cost-effective. Important component of ZIBs are cation exchange membranes (CEMs). CEMs prevent the crossover of iodine and polyiodide from zinc (Zn) electrodes. However, available CEMs are costly and have limited ionic conductivity at room temperature. CEMs are low-cost, have high stability and good cationic exchange properties. Herein, polyelectrolyte membranes prepared from carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) are examined. It is seen that an increase in the ratio of PVA leads to enhanced ionic conductivity as well as increased iodine and polyiodide crossover. ZIBs using polyelectrolytes having 75:25 wt.% CMC/PVA and 50:50 wt.% CMC/PVA show decent performance and cycling stability. Due to their low-cost and other salient features, CMC/PVA polyelectrolytes prove they have the capacity for use as cation exchange separators in ZIBs.

Enhanced Cycling Performance of Rechargeable Zinc-Air Flow Batteries Using Potassium Persulfate as Electrolyte Additive

Zinc-air batteries (ZABs) offer high specific energy and low-cost production. However, rechargeable ZABs suffer from a limited cycle life. This paper reports that potassium persulfate (KPS) additive in an alkaline electrolyte can effectively enhance the performance and electrochemical characteristics of rechargeable zinc-air flow batteries (ZAFBs). Introducing redox additives into electrolytes is an effective approach to promote battery performance. With the addition of 450 ppm KPS, remarkable improvement in anodic currents corresponding to zinc (Zn) dissolution and limited passivation of the Zn surface is observed, thus indicating its strong effect on the redox reaction of Zn. Besides, the addition of 450 ppm KPS reduces the corrosion rate of Zn, enhances surface reactions and decreases the solution resistance. However, excess KPS (900 and 1350 ppm) has a negative effect on rechargeable ZAFBs, which leads to a shorter cycle life and poor cyclability. The rechargeable ZAFB, using 450 ppm KPS, exhibits a highly stable charge/discharge voltage for 800 cycles. Overall, KPS demonstrates great promise for the enhancement of the charge/discharge performance of rechargeable ZABs.

MCM-41/PVA Composite as a Separator for Zinc-Air Batteries

Membrane separators are one of the critical components in zinc–air batteries (ZABs). In the control of mass transfer, and hence, electrochemical reaction, membrane separators have an important role to play. This work addresses the issue of battery performance in a ZAB via a new composite membrane separator based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). To enhance the electrolyte uptake and ionic conductivity, mesoporous Mobil Composition of Matter No. 41 (MCM-41) is incorporated as a filler in the membrane while maintaining its integrity. The presence of MCM-41 is seen to reduce the number of cycles of secondary ZABs due to the uninvited drawbacks of increased zincate crossover and reduced triple phase boundary at the air cathode, which is pivotal for oxygen reduction reaction. Overall, results suggest that the application of the MCM-41/PVA composite has the potential for use as a separator in high-capacity primary ZABs.

An In-Depth Study of Zn Metal Surface Chemistry for Advanced Aqueous Zn-Ion Batteries

Although Zn metal has been regarded as the most promising anode for aqueous batteries, it persistently suffers from serious side reactions and dendrite growth in mild electrolyte. Spontaneous Zn corrosion and hydrogen evolution damage the shelf life and calendar life of Zn-based batteries, severely affecting their industrial applications. Herein, a robust and homogeneous ZnS interphase is built in situ on the Zn surface by a vapor-solid strategy to enhance Zn reversibility. The thickness of the ZnS film is controlled via the treatment temperature, and the performance of the protected Zn electrode is optimized. The dense ZnS artificial layer obtained at 350 °C not only suppresses Zn corrosion by forming a physical barrier on the Zn surface, but also inhibits dendrite growth via guiding the Zn plating/stripping underneath the artificial layer. Accordingly, a side reaction-free and dendrite-free Zn electrode is developed, the effectiveness of which is also convincing in a MnO₂ /ZnS@Zn full-cell with 87.6% capacity retention after 2500 cycles.

Inhibition of Zinc Dendrites in Zinc-Based Flow Batteries

Zinc-based flow batteries have gained widespread attention and are considered to be one of the most promising large-scale energy storage devices for increasing the utilization of intermittently sustainable energy. However, the formation of zinc dendrites at anodes has seriously depressed their cycling life, security, coulombic efficiency, and charging capacity. Inhibition of zinc dendrites is thus the bottleneck to further improving the performance of zinc-based flow batteries, but it remains a major challenge. Considering recent developments, this mini review analyzes the formation mechanism and growth process of zinc dendrites and presents and summarizes the strategies for preventing zinc dendrites by regulating the interfaces between anodes and electrolytes. Four typical strategies, namely electrolyte modification, anode engineering, electric field regulation, and ion transfer control, are comprehensively highlighted. Finally, remaining challenges and promising directions are outlined and anticipated for zinc dendrites in zinc-based flow batteries.

Discharge profile of a zinc-air flow battery at various electrolyte flow rates and discharge currents

Nowadays, due to global warming stemming from excessive use of fossil fuel, there is considerable interest in promoting renewable energy sources. However, because of the intermittent nature of these energy sources, efficient energy storage systems are needed. In this regard, zinc-air flow batteries (ZAFBs) are seen as having the capability to fulfill this function. In flow batteries, the electrolyte is stored in external tanks and circulated through the cell. This study provides the requisite experimental data for parameter estimation as well as model validation of ZAFBs. Each data set includes: current (mA), voltage (V), capacity (mAh), specific capacity (mAh/g), energy (Wh), specific energy (mWh/g) and discharge time (h:min:s.ms). Discharge data involved forty experiments with discharge current in the range of 100–200 mA, and electrolyte flow rates in the range of 0–140 ml/min. Such data are crucial for the modelling and theoretical/experimental analysis of ZAFBs.

Measurement(s)	electrical current • Voltage • battery capacity • specific discharge capacity • energy • specific energy • discharge time
Technology Type(s)	battery testing system
Factor Type(s)	electrolyte flow rate • discharge current

Machine-accessible metadata file describing the reported data: 10.6084/m9.figshare.12423878

Methods for producing an easily assembled zinc-air battery

Zinc-air batteries are considered as the promising alternative to conventional power sources and have received revived research efforts recently due to their high energy density, good safety, environmental friendliness, and potential for low material costs. The design and production of zinc-air batteries is critical to accelerate the commercialization for extending the application range. Herein, we proposed a method for producing plate-type primary zinc-air batteries which apply zinc foil as an example. The proposed method includes the design of an easily assembled zinc-air battery configuration, the preparation of air cathodes and assembly of zinc-air battery. In addition, the galvanostatic discharge performance of the assembled non-flow primary zinc-air battery was tested at a current density of 10 mA cm^-2. The method can be applied for the production of commercial zinc-air batteries for laboratory research and industrial manufacture for electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and energy storage devices.•The preparation method for components of zinc-air battery configuration and air cathodes was developed.•The assembly of the zinc-air battery was proposed.•Direct evaluation of discharge performance of the zinc-air batteries produced by the method.

Recent Progress in Electrolytes for Zn-Air Batteries

Zn-air battery is considered as one of the most promising candidates for next-generation batteries for energy storage due to safety, high energy density, and low cost. There are many challenges in electrolytes for developing high-performance rechargeable Zn-air cells as well as electrocatalysts. An electrolyte is the crucial part of the rechargeable Zn-air batteries that determine their capacity, cycling stability, and lifetime. This paper reviews the most recent progress in designing and fabricating electrolytes in aqueous and flexible Zn-air batteries. The discussion on the surface reaction relationships was covered between air-catalyst-electrolyte and electrolyte-zinc reaction mechanism. We highlight the recent developments of three different electrolytes in zinc-air battery: aqueous electrolyte, room temperature ionic liquid, and quasi-solid flexible electrolyte. Furthermore, the general perspective is proposed for designing and fabricating electrolytes to improve the performance and prolong the lifetime of Zn-air batteries.

Binder-Free α-MnO2 Nanowires on Carbon Cloth as Cathode Material for Zinc-ion Batteries

Recently, rechargeable zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) have gained a considerable amount of attention due to their high safety, low toxicity, abundance, and low cost. Traditionally, a composite manganese oxide (MnO2) and a conductive carbon having a polymeric binder are used as a positive electrode. In general, a binder is employed to bond all materials together and to prevent detachment and dissolution of the active materials. Herein, the synthesis of α-MnO2 nanowires on carbon cloth via a simple one-step hydrothermal process and its electrochemical performance, as a binder-free cathode in aqueous and nonaqueous-based ZIBs, is duly reported. Morphological and elemental analyses reveal a single crystal α-MnO2 having homogeneous nanowire morphology with preferential growth along {001}. It is significant that analysis of the electrochemical performance of the α-MnO2 nanowires demonstrates more stable capacity and superior cyclability in a dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) electrolyte ZIB than in an aqueous electrolyte system. This is because DMSO can prevent irreversible proton insertion as well as unfavorable dendritic zinc deposition. The application of the binder-free α-MnO2 nanowires cathode in DMSO can promote follow-up research on the high cyclability of ZIBs.

Three-Dimensional Fibrous Iron as Anode Current Collector for Rechargeable Zinc–Air Batteries

A three-dimensional (3D) fibrous structure with a high active surface and conductive pathway proved to be an excellent anode current collector for rechargeable zinc–air batteries (ZABs). Herein, a cost-effective and highly stable zinc (Zn) electrode, based on Zn electrodeposited on iron fibers (Zn/IF), is duly examined. Electrochemical characteristics of the proposed electrode are seen to compete with a conventional zinc/nickel foam (Zn/NF) electrode, implying that it can be a suitable alternative for use in ZABs. Results show that the Zn/IF electrode exhibits an almost similar trend as Zn/NF in cyclic voltammetry (CV). Moreover, by using a Zn/IF electrode, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) demonstrates lower charge transfer resistance. In the application of a rechargeable ZAB, the fibrous Zn/IF electrode exhibits a high coulombic efficiency (CE) of 78%, close to the conventional Zn/NF (80%), with almost similar capacity and lower charge transfer resistance, after 200 charge/discharge cycles. It is evident that all the positive features of Zn/IF, especially its low cost, shows that it can be a valuable anode for ZABs.

Silver Decorated Reduced Graphene Oxide as Electrocatalyst for Zinc–Air Batteries

Due to their low cost and very high energy density, zinc–air batteries (ZABs) exhibit high potential for various energy applications. The electrochemical performance of the air-cathode has a decisive impact on the discharge performance of ZABs because the sluggish oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) kinetics increase the overpotential of the air-cathode and hence the performance of ZABs. In this work, reduced graphene oxide decorated with silver nanoparticles (AgNP/rGO) is synthesized using simultaneous reduction of graphene oxide and silver ions. Different amounts of silver loading are examined for the synthesis of AgNP/rGO. The synthesized AgNP/rGO samples are analyzed using a rotating disk electrode in order to investigate ORR activity. Then, the synthesized AgNP/rGO electrocatalyst is applied on a tubular designed zinc–air battery in order to study the performance of the zinc–air battery. Results demonstrate that AgNP/rGO is an efficient and cost-effective ORR electrocatalyst for its practical application in ZABs.