Issue 34, 2022

A flexible and highly ion conductive polyzwitterionic eutectogel for quasi-solid state zinc ion batteries with efficient suppression of dendrite growth

Abstract

Gels have gained much attention in flexible batteries. However, traditional hydrogel electrolytes are insufficient to solve the fundamental problems of zinc anodes, such as dendrite issues and parasitic side reactions, which severely restrict the development of zinc ion batteries. Here, a novel polyzwitterionic eutectogel (PSPE) is constructed with a DES (ChCl–EG–urea), zwitterionic sulfobetaine, and Zn(ClO4)2. Compared to common hydrogels, the PSPE eutectogel contains no free water, thus widening the electrochemical window and suppressing side reactions. The charged groups of the polyzwitterion can also guide the distribution of ions and promote smooth zinc deposition. Consequently, Zn//Zn cells with the PSPE eutectogel achieve a long cycle life of over 2200 h at 1 mA cm−2. At 0.2 A g−1, a full battery assembled with a V2O5 cathode and the PSPE eutectogel electrolyte can provide a high capacity of 201.8 mA h g−1. Furthermore, the flexible battery can light up LEDs under different bending angles. Besides, the low volatility of the DES and strong electrostatic interactions of zwitterionic groups allow the eutectogel to have excellent water retention. Under 60 °C unsealed conditions, the PSPE eutectogel retained 87.9% of its initial weight after 55 h. Such a highly conductive and anti-dehydration polyzwitterionic eutectogel shows promising applications in wearable energy storage devices.

Graphical abstract: A flexible and highly ion conductive polyzwitterionic eutectogel for quasi-solid state zinc ion batteries with efficient suppression of dendrite growth

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
24 Jun 2022
Accepted
05 Aug 2022
First published
08 Aug 2022

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2022,10, 17721-17729

A flexible and highly ion conductive polyzwitterionic eutectogel for quasi-solid state zinc ion batteries with efficient suppression of dendrite growth

Y. Wu, Y. Deng, K. Zhang, Y. Wang, L. Wang and L. Yan, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2022, 10, 17721 DOI: 10.1039/D2TA05009A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements