[신간의 별자리x] 우리/미술, 그리고 ‘슬픔의 박물관’

Zinc-ion batteries built on water-based electrolytes featuring compelling price-points, competitive performance, and enhanced safety represent advanced energy storage chemistry as a promising alternative to current lithium-ion battery systems. Attempts to develop rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) can be traced to as early as the 1980s; however, since 2015, the research activity in this field has surged throughout the world. Despite the achievements made in exploring electrode materials so far, significant challenges remain at the material level and even on the whole aqueous ZIBs system, leading to the failure of ZIBs to meet commercial requirements. This review aims to discuss how to pave the way for developing aqueous ZIBs. The current research efforts related to aqueous ZIBs electrode materials and electrolytes are summarized, including an analysis of the problems encountered in both cathode/anode materials and electrolyte optimization. Some concerns and feasible solutions for achieving practical aqueous ZIBs are discussed in detail. We would like to point out that merely improving the electrode materials is not enough; synergistic optimization strategies toward the whole battery system are also deeply needed. Finally, some perspectives are provided on the subsequent optimization design for further research efforts in the aqueous ZIB field.

Issues and opportunities facing aqueous zinc-ion batteries

https://www.cell.com/joule/pdf/S2542-4351(20)30094-5.pdf

Scientific Challenges for the Implementation of Zn-Ion Batteries

Over the past two decades, a series of aqueous rechargeable metal-ion batteries (ARMBs) have been developed, aiming at improving safety, environmental friendliness and cost-efficiency in fields of consumer electronics, electric vehicles and grid-scale energy storage. However, the notable gap between ARMBs and their organic counterparts in energy density directly hinders their practical applications, making it difficult to replace current widely-used organic lithium-ion batteries. Basically, this huge gap in energy density originates from cell voltage, as the narrow electrochemical stability window of aqueous electrolytes substantially confines the choice of electrode materials. This review highlights various ARMBs with focuses on their voltage characteristics and strategies that can effectively raise battery voltage. It begins with the discussion on the fundamental factor that limits the voltage of ARMBs, i.e., electrochemical stability window of aqueous electrolytes, which decides the maximum-allowed potential difference between cathode and anode. The following section introduces various ARMB systems and compares their voltage characteristics in midpoint voltage and plateau voltage, in relation to respective electrode materials. Subsequently, various strategies paving the way to high-voltage ARMBs are summarized, with corresponding advancements highlighted. The final section presents potential directions for further improvements and future perspectives of this thriving field.

Voltage issue of aqueous rechargeable metal-ion batteries

As a promising energy storage device, the rechargeable zinc–air battery (RZAB) has attracted increasing attention because of its high energy density, cost-effectiveness, and high safety, and the rich abundance of zinc, as well as its environmental benignity. However, the widespread application of RZABs still faces considerable challenges derived from zinc-electrodes, electrolytes, and air-electrodes. In this paper, specific attention is given to RZAB zinc-electrode materials and fabrication with focus on the fundamental understanding of zinc-electrode reaction mechanisms, technical challenges, mitigation strategies, and perspectives. Particularly, the approaches to overcome the challenges are also presented and analyzed for facilitating further research and development of RZABs.

Challenges, mitigation strategies and perspectives in development of zinc-electrode materials and fabrication for rechargeable zinc–air batteries

Radiolitically synthesized nano Ag/C catalysts for oxygen reduction and borohydride oxidation reactions in alkaline media, for potential applications in fuel cells

Highly crystalline ramsdellite as a cathode material for near-neutral aqueous MnO2/Zn batteries

Modification of Cu Current Collectors for Lithium Metal Batteries – A Review

Improved Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) based matrix as a potential solid electrolyte for electrochemical energy conversion devices, obtained by gamma irradiation

Ivan Stoševski

Papers

Radiolitically synthesized nano Ag/C catalysts for oxygen reduction and borohydride oxidation reactions in alkaline media, for potential applications in fuel cells

Highly crystalline ramsdellite as a cathode material for near-neutral aqueous MnO2/Zn batteries

Modification of Cu Current Collectors for Lithium Metal Batteries – A Review

Improved Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) based matrix as a potential solid electrolyte for electrochemical energy conversion devices, obtained by gamma irradiation

Hausmannite Mn3O4 as a positive active electrode material for rechargeable aqueous Mn‐oxide/Zn batteries