Prioritized Na+ adsorption‑driven cationic electrostatic repulsion enables highly reversible zinc anodes at low temperatures
2025-11-05
(Press-News.org)
As renewable energy storage demand grows, the limitations of aqueous zinc metal batteries (AZMBs) in subzero environments become more pronounced. Now, researchers from Harbin University of Science and Technology and Fudan University, led by Professor Xin Liu and Professor Dongliang Chao, have presented a breakthrough solution using trace Na2SO4 as an electrolyte additive. This work offers valuable insights into developing next-generation energy storage technologies that can overcome low-temperature challenges.
Why Na₂SO₄ Matters
Cost-Effective: Na2SO4 is an abundant, low-cost inorganic salt that avoids the flammability and conductivity issues of organic antifreeze agents
Electrostatic Regulation: Na⁺ preferentially adsorbs at the zinc anode surface, repelling Zn2+ and promoting uniform deposition
Suppressed Side Reactions: Fewer water molecules coordinate with Na⁺, reducing hydrogen evolution and harmful byproducts
Ultra-Stable Cycling: Zn||Zn cells achieve over 2500 hours at −40°C, and Zn||PANI full cells retain >90% capacity after 8000 cycles
Innovative Design and Features
Electrolyte Formulation: The optimized 5ZClO/0.2Na electrolyte (5m Zn(ClO4)2 + 0.2m Na2SO4) maintains high ionic conductivity down to −60°C
Hydrogen Bond Disruption: Spectroscopic analyses reveal Na2SO4 further breaks water-water hydrogen bonds, enhancing antifreeze capability
Interfacial Engineering: DFT calculations show Na⁺ adsorption energy (−7.32 eV) exceeds Zn2+ (−2.49 eV), enabling preferential interface regulation
Nucleation Control: Na⁺ increases nucleation overpotential, promoting denser, more uniform zinc deposition
Applications and Future Outlook
Low-Temperature Energy Storage: Enables reliable battery operation in extreme cold environments for EVs and grid systems
Long-Life Power Supplies: Zn||Cu cells maintain 99.5% Coulombic efficiency for >1000 cycles at −40°C
Safe and Scalable: Organic-free design maintains aqueous battery safety while improving performance
Challenges and Opportunities: Future work will focus on optimizing additive concentrations and exploring other cost-effective inorganic salts
This breakthrough provides a roadmap for developing high-performance, low-temperature AZMBs using simple electrolyte modifications. It highlights the importance of interfacial engineering and cost-effective materials design in advancing energy storage technologies. Stay tuned for more groundbreaking work from Professor Xin Liu and Professor Dongliang Chao's teams!
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[Press-News.org] Prioritized Na+ adsorption‑driven cationic electrostatic repulsion enables highly reversible zinc anodes at low temperatures
