Korean engineers have developed a stable water zinc-ion battery, which uses
Lithium-ion batteries have found wideapplication in various electronic devices: from mobile phones and laptops to electric vehicles. Such batteries have a high capacity, but the organic electrolytes in them are highly flammable, which can lead to fires and explosions.
Scientists have long been working on safealternatives, one of which involves the use of a zinc anode in an aqueous electrolyte. The main problem of such devices is the low service life associated with side reactions that destroy the elements of the device.
Traditional (top) and modified (bottom) zinc-water battery. Image: Sangyeop Lee et al., Science Direct
Engineers from Pohang University of Science andTechnologies (POSTECH) have developed a zinc anode coated with a multifunctional protective layer using a block copolymer. This layer is elastic and able to stretch to withstand the increase in volume during charging and discharging the battery.
In a series of experiments, the scientists showed thatthe polymer protective layer induces a homogenized distribution of ions and inhibits the growth of dendrites, helping to increase the life of the zinc anode. In addition, the thin film layer improves the stability of the electrode by suppressing unnecessary chemical reactions in the electrolyte on the electrode surface.
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Cover image: POSTECH