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Mansley ZR, Zhu Y, Wu D, Takeuchi ES, Marschilok AC, Wang L, Takeuchi KJ. Mechanism of Chalcophanite Nucleation in Zinc Hydroxide Sulfate Cathodes in Aqueous Zinc Batteries. NANO LETTERS 2023; 23:8657-8663. [PMID: 37708460 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c02430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Aqueous Zn-ion batteries with MnO2-based cathodes have seen significant attention owing to their high theoretical capacities, safety, and low cost; however, much debate remains regarding the reaction mechanism that dominates energy storage. In this work, we report our electron microscopy study of cathodes containing zinc hydroxide sulfate (Zn4SO4(OH)6·xH2O, ZHS) together with carbon nanotubes cycled in electrolytes containing ZnSO4 with varied amounts of MnSO4 incorporated. The primary Mn-containing phase is formed in situ in the cathode during cycling, where a dissolution-deposition reaction is identified between ZHS and chalcophanite (ZnMn3O7·3H2O). Mechanistic details of this reaction, in which the chalcophanite nucleates then separates from the ZHS flakes as the ZHS dissolves while acting as the primary Zn source for the reaction, are revealed using surface sensitive methods. These findings indicate the reaction is local to the ZHS flakes, providing new insight toward the importance of ZHS and the cathode microstructure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary R Mansley
- Interdisciplinary Science Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
- Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
| | - Yimei Zhu
- Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
- Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
| | - Daren Wu
- Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
- Institute of Energy: Sustainability, Environment, and Equity, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
| | - Esther S Takeuchi
- Interdisciplinary Science Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
- Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
- Institute of Energy: Sustainability, Environment, and Equity, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
| | - Amy C Marschilok
- Interdisciplinary Science Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
- Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
- Institute of Energy: Sustainability, Environment, and Equity, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
| | - Lei Wang
- Interdisciplinary Science Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
- Institute of Energy: Sustainability, Environment, and Equity, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
| | - Kenneth J Takeuchi
- Interdisciplinary Science Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
- Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
- Institute of Energy: Sustainability, Environment, and Equity, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
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