Highly reversible zinc metal anode for aqueous batteries

Metallic zinc (Zn) has been regarded as an ideal anode material for aqueous batteries because of its high theoretical capacity (820 mA h g–1), low potential (−0.762 V versus the standard hydrogen electrode), high abundance, low toxicity and intrinsic safety. However, aqueous Zn chemistry persistently suffers from irreversibility issues, as exemplified by its low coulombic efficiency (CE) and dendrite growth during plating/ stripping, and sustained water consumption. In this work, we demonstrate that an aqueous electrolyte based on Zn and lithium salts at high concentrations is a very effective way to address these issues. This unique electrolyte not only enables dendrite-free Zn plating/stripping at nearly 100% CE, but also retains water in the open atmosphere, which makes hermetic cell configurations optional. These merits bring unprecedented flexibility and reversibility to Zn batteries using either LiMn2O4 or O2 cathodes—the former deliver 180 W h kg–1 while retaining 80% capacity for >4,000 cycles, and the latter deliver 300 W h kg–1 (1,000 W h kg–1 based on the cathode) for >200 cycles.Metallic zinc is an ideal anode material for aqueous batteries but suffers from irreversibility issues. An aqueous electrolyte based on Zn and lithium salts using either LiMn2O4 or O2 cathodes now brings unprecedented flexibility and reversibility to Zn batteries.