Researchers have developed a breakthrough zinc-ion battery that retains over 80 percent performance after 1,000 charge-discharge cycles.
Scientists in China have developed a new cathode material that significantly boosts the performance of aqueous zinc-ion batteries , offering a safer, more stable, and energy-dense solution for grid storage and portable electronics.
The advanced electrode was designed by researchers at the University of Jinan and their colleagues at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. For their study, the team used FA-VOPO₄ nanosheets, which exhibit excellent electrochemical performance as anode materials.By intercalating formamide molecules into the layered structure of vanadyl phosphate, the team engineered a modified cathode with significantly improved physical and electrochemical characteristics.The structural adjustment reportedly enhanced the material’s stability, expanded the interlayer spacing, and enhanced ion transport efficiency, all critical to addressing long-standing performance limitations in zinc-ion battery systems.Aqueous batteries’ stability limitationsAZIBs have attracted growing interest for their inherent safety, low cost, and promising energy density. They also offer key advantages such as environmental friendliness and strong potential for large-scale energy storage applications.However, their commercial viability has been limited by challenges such as poor cycling stability and sluggish ion diffusion, which become particularly severe under high mass loading conditions. Their practical application is additionally challenged by issues such as dendrite growth and hydrogen evolution. According to the research team, their performance issues result from restricted ion transport pathways and mechanical degradation within the electrode structure caused by repeated zinc-ion insertion and extraction.Structural analysis of FA-VOPO₄: XRD, FTIR, and NMR spectra; SEM images of FA-VOPO4; SEM image of VOPO4·2H2OCredit: Higher Education PressTo address the drawbacks, the team replaced part of the interlayer water in VOPO4 with molecules of formamide, a widely used reagent that is an ionizing solvent in aqueous buffers.The substitution expanded the interlayer distance to 9.3 angstroms , enabling hydrogen bonding between the formamide and the remaining water molecules.“This unique structural modification enhances structural stability and ion transport pathways,” the researchers said. “The synergistic hydrogen bonding between FA and residual water significantly improves Zn2+ diffusion kinetics and charge transfer properties.”Formamide unlocks battery potentialAccording to the research team, the FA-VOPO₄ electrodes showed remarkable electrochemical performance, marking a significant improvement over existing materials.At a moderate mass loading of seven milligrams per square centimeter , the FA-VOPO₄ cathodes achieved a specific mass capacity of 463 milliampere-hours per gram . They also delivered a volumetric output of 733 milliampere-hours per cubic centimeter . This represents an approximately eightfold increase compared to unmodified VOPO4·2H2O.Furthermore, even at a much higher mass loading of 20 mg/cm2, they retained an impressive 535 mAh/cm3. Most notably, after 1,000 charge-discharge cycles at a current density of one ampere per gram , the cathodes maintained a total of 82.1 percent of their original performance, highlighting their exceptional cycling stability.“This work provides valuable insights into electrode design strategies for high-performance AZIBs,” the researchers concluded in a press release. “The successful synthesis of FA-VOPO4 nanosheets with enlarged interlayer spacing offers a promising pathway toward high-energy-density, safer, and more durable aqueous energy storage systems.”The team believes these findings will contribute to the development of more efficient energy storage technologies, with potential applications in grid storage and portable electronics.The study has been published in the journal Frontiers in Energy.
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