Recent Progress on Zinc-Ion Rechargeable Batteries

Abstract

HIGHLIGHTS• The recent progress about zinc-ion batteries was systematically summarized in detail, including the merits and limits of aqueous and nonaqueous electrolytes, various cathode materials, zinc anode, and solid-state zinc-ion batteries.• Current challenges and perspectives to future research directions are also provided. ABSTRACT The increasing demands for environmentally friendly grid-scale electric energy storage devices with high energy density and low cost have stimulated the rapid development of various energy storage systems, due to the environmental pollution and energy crisis caused by traditional energy storage technologies. As one of the new and most promising alternative energy storage technologies, zinc-ion rechargeable batteries have recently received much attention owing to their high abundance of zinc in natural resources, intrinsic safety, and cost effectiveness, when compared with the popular, but unsafe and expensive lithium-ion batteries. In particular, the use of mild aqueous electrolytes in zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) demonstrates high potential for portable electronic applications and large-scale energy storage systems.Moreover, the development of superior electrolyte operating at either high temperature or subzero condition is crucial for practical applications of ZIBs in harsh environments, such as aerospace, airplanes, or submarines. However, there are still many existing challenges that need to be resolved. This paper presents a timely review on recent progresses and challenges in various cathode materials and electrolytes (aqueous, organic, and solid-state electrolytes) in ZIBs. Design and synthesis of zinc-based anode materials and separators are also briefly discussed.

Defect Engineering in Manganese‐Based Oxides for Aqueous Rechargeable Zinc‐Ion Batteries: A Review

“…Furthermore, its high theoretical specific capacity of 819 mAh g −1 , low redox potential of Zn/Zn 2+ (−0.76 V vs standard hydrogen electrode), and its low cost have captured significant research interest as one of the most promising battery technologies. [ 15–19 ] While much can be celebrated due to these attractive properties, ZIB research is still severely plagued with the limited selection of materials that can demonstrate reversible Zn 2+ storage after prolonged cycling. [ 20–22 ] This is especially crucial as the cathode is arguably one of the most important components in the ZIB, which can significantly influence the overall electrochemical performance of the ZIB.…”

Bifunctional Oxygen Electrocatalyst of Mesoporous Ni/NiO Nanosheets for Flexible Rechargeable Zn–Air Batteries

“…To meet the increasing demand for eco-friendly, renewable, and portable/mobile power sources, researchers have continued to study new energy conversion and storage systems [1][2][3][4][5]. Zn-air batteries have been widely studied owing to their high theoretical energy density, excellent safety, and eco-friendliness compared to other types of rechargeable batteries [6][7][8][9].…”

Flexible Zn‐ion batteries based on manganese oxides: Progress and prospect

“…In tetragonal λ‐MnO 2 , Zn 2+ diffuses from 8a‐sites to neighboring 8a‐sites through 16c‐sites; however, Mn atoms at 16d‐sites (close to 16c‐sites) hinder the movement of Zn 2+ by electrostatic repulsion 81 . These findings confirm that further architecture modification is necessary for spinel‐type samples like λ‐MnO 2 and ZnMn 2 O 4 to become qualified Zn 2+ hosts considering their limited 3D tunnels and strong electrostatic repulsion toward Zn 2+ 26,38,39,48,67 . As shown in Figure 6, a treatment on the ZnMn 2 O 4 lattice was carried out to produce Mn vacancies or deficiencies by extracting oxygen anions, which lowers the electrostatic barrier for Zn 2+ transfer and alleviates the Mn species dissolution due to the higher Mn oxidation state.…”

“…Various strategies including additives addition, surface engineering, and structural/hierarchical design have been developed to circumvent these problems 41,42,45‐54 . More studies on anode modifications for ZIBs can be found in recent reviews 39,41,42,48 …”