Zinc Battery Driven by an Electro-Organic Reactor Cathode

Abstract

Synthesis of organic molecules by utilizing the principles of electrochemistry satisfies 9 out of the 12 postulates of green chemistry, conferring electrochemical synthetic methodologies with clean, safe, and green tags. However, electro-organic synthesis is a heterogeneous interfacial reaction demanding significant driving force in terms of voltage or current. Here, we demonstrate an unusual route for electro-organic synthesis during electricity generation in a battery, where the positive half-cell is designed to function as an organic reactor generating useful chemicals and fuel molecules. The proposed electroorganic synthesizer Zn battery couples organic synthesis with power production during discharge chemistry, thereby demonstrating its tremendous potential in the sustainable energy landscape.

ZnMn2O4/Carbon Composite Recycled from Spent Zinc-Carbon Batteries for Zn-Air Battery Applications

“…The benefits of such systems involve power production and the generation of beneficial discharge compounds like alcohols and aromatic amines. 11 Nevertheless, the higher theoretical energy density of metal-air batteries compared to the best-performing state-of-art LIBs has revived the interest in zinc-air chemistry. Metal-air batteries possess a similar design trait of two different technologies, i.e., negative metal electrode as in conventional batteries and porous cathode (air-breathing cathode which allows oxygen from the air through natural convection) like in fuel cells.…”