水系可充锌电池的发展及挑战

Development and challenges of aqueous rechargeable zinc batteries

能源的高效利用和可再生能源的发展迫切需要开发高安全、低成本、长寿命大规模储能新技术.该技术的突破将对未来能源结构调整以及智能电网建设具有极其重要的战略影响.综合安全、成本、环保等因素,水系可充锌电池将成为下一代安全储能系统重要备选.本文综述了水系可充锌电池的研究进展,对该体系面临的问题及解决方案进行了讨论及总结,并提出了未来的研究发展方向.开发固态/凝胶电解质有望解决水系可充锌电池面临的如电极材料溶解、锌负极枝晶生长、钝化、腐蚀以及副反应等一系列问题.此外,开发兼具高电压和高容量的正极材料、对锌负极进行改性优化也是高性能水系可充锌电池进一步发展的方向.

With the rapid consumption of fossil energy resources and the increasing pollution problems,the efficient use of energy and the development of renewable energy sources is urgently needed,which demand for the large-scale electrical energy storage system with properties of high-security,low-cost,environmentally benign,remarkable capacity and long-life span.In this regard,achieving some breakthroughs in this system will have extremely important strategic impacts on future energy structure adjustments and smart grid construction.Although lithium ion battery has dominated the energy market for decades,the intrinsic drawbacks of high cost and safety issues,to a great extent,impedes its utilization in scale-up energy storage system.And recent years witnessed the significant progress of rechargeable multivalent metal ions batteries,such as Mg2+-ion,Al3+-ion,Ca2+-ion and Zn2+-ion batteries.With the unique features of high safety,low-cost,environmental friendly,abundant resources stockpile,low redox potential(–0.76 V vs.SHE),high capacity(up to 820 m Ah g–1 theoretically)and energy density(5851 m Ah m L-1)of metallic Zn as well as remarkable ionic conductivity of aqueous electrolyte,aqueous rechargeable zinc battery has attracted plenty of interest in recent years and exhibits great potential to be an important candidate for the next generation of high-safe and large scale energy storage system.Many researchers have paid great attention to the development of high performance aqueous rechargeable zinc battery system,including cathode materials,electrolytes and anode.And some great achievements have been obtained.Henceforth,in this review,we have systematically reviewed the research progress of aqueous rechargeable zinc battery,summarized and discussed the existing problems faced by this system and the related solutions.Based on the author’s best knowledge and understanding of aqueous rechargeable zinc battery,we have looked forward to its future research direction and made some perspectives,which is expected to pave the pathway for the understanding and further development of aqueous rechargeable zinc battery.In our view,the development of advanced solid/gel electrolyte should be attached great significance,which is a promising way to solve a series of problems existing in anode and cathode,such as cathode material dissolution,zinc anode dendrite growth,passivation and corrosion,as well as the by-products existing in the system.Moreover,the research on solid/gel electrolyte also offers some opportunities of constructing wearable and flexible electronic devices,such as smart watch,which is greatly beneficial to put forward to the practical application of aqueous rechargeable zinc battery.In addition,development of high performance cathode materials with remarkable strength of both high-voltage and high-capacity,and in-depth researches on the modification and optimization of zinc anode are the further trends of high-performance aqueous rechargeable zinc battery.