New protective layer could greatly extend zinc battery life

Design concept of TpBD-2F film: Elucidation of the synthesis process and the role of fluorinated nanochannels in guiding the fast, uniform, and reversible Zn2+ plating/stripping process. Image source: Advanced Energy Materials

According to the latest issue of Advanced Energy Materials, researchers at the Technical University of Munich in Germany have developed a new method to extend the life of aqueous zinc-ion batteries by several orders of magnitude. Zinc-ion batteries are no longer limited to a few thousand charge and discharge cycles, but can withstand hundreds of thousands of charge and discharge cycles.

The key to this innovation is the design of a special protective layer for the battery's zinc anode. The researchers used a porous organic polymer called TpBD-2F. This material forms a stable, ultra-thin and highly ordered film on the zinc anode, allowing zinc ions to flow efficiently through nanochannels while keeping water away from the anode. The protective layer solves long-standing problems such as the growth of needle-like zinc structures (zinc dendrites) and the initiation of undesirable chemical reactions such as corrosion and hydrogen generation.

Zinc-ion batteries with the new protective layer could replace lithium-ion batteries in large-scale energy storage applications, the researchers say. They have longer lifespans and are safer, and zinc is cheaper and more readily available than lithium.

While lithium remains the material of choice for electric vehicles and portable devices, its high cost and environmental impact make it unattractive for large-scale energy storage.

The researchers said that the newly developed chemical method is not only feasible but also controllable. At present, the first prototype button battery has been developed and is expected to be applied in more fields in the future.