Abstract
The high redox potential of Zn0/2+ leads to low voltage of Zn batteries and therefore low energy density, plaguing deployment of Zn batteries in many energy-demanding applications. Though employing high-voltage cathode like spinel LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 can increase the voltages of Zn batteries, Zn2+ ions will be immobilized in LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 once intercalated, resulting in irreversibility. Here, we design a polymer hetero-electrolyte consisting of an anode layer with Zn2+ ions as charge carriers and a cathode layer that blocks the Zn2+ ion shuttle, which allows separated Zn and Li reversibility. As such, the Zn‖LNMO cell exhibits up to 2.4 V discharge voltage and 450 stable cycles with high reversible capacity, which are also attained in a scale-up pouch cell. The pouch cell shows a low self-discharge after resting for 28 days. The designed electrolyte paves the way to develop high-voltage Zn batteries based on reversible lithiated cathodes.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 3748 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Nature Communications |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 3 May 2024 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© The Author(s) 2024.
Funding
This research was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China under Project 2019YFA0705104. This research was also supported by RGC Collaborative Research Fund under Project C1002-21G and in part by InnoHK Project on [Project 1.4 - Flexible and Stretchable Technologies (FAST) for monitoring of CVD risk factors: Soft Battery and self-powered, flexible medical devices] at Hong Kong Centre for Cerebro-cardiovascular Health Engineering (COCHE). The work was also partially supported by a grant from the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (Project No. R5019-22).