Dendrite suppression capabilities are key factors for the practical deployment of rechargeable Zn-based batteries. We propose a systematic electrochemical investigation, accompanied by SEM imaging, of the impact of representative quaternary ammonium (QA) salts and ionomers on Zn electrodeposition. Both cathodic and anodic processes were considered, because insoluble corrosion products can impact subsequent electrodeposition during cycling. We used simple cyclic voltammetry methods and developed a framework for their quantita-tive interpretation in terms of physically legible descriptors. QAbased additives tend to suppress the accumulation of anodic products, favoring symmetric cathodic and anodic activation. Poly di-allyl di-methyl ammonium chloride (PDADMAC), a polymer with limited cathodic reactivity, was found to be a promising additive that minimizes cathodic and anodic irreversibility and stabilizes mass transport, possibly owing to the formation of a single-ion conducting cathodic film.
In this study, operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) measurements were carried out on a newly developed O2 bi-functional gas diffusion electrode (GDE) for rechargeable Zn-air batteries, consisting of a mixture of α-MnO2 and carbon black. The architecture and composition of the GDE, as well as the electrochemical cell, were designed to achieve optimum edge-jumps and signal-to-noise ratio in the absorption spectra for the Mn K-edge at current densities that are relevant for practical conditions. Herein, we reported the chemical changes that occur on the MnO2 component when the GDE is tested under normal operating conditions, during both battery discharge (ORR) and charge (OER), on the background of more critical conditions that simulate oxygen starvation in a flooded electrode.
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