The effect of interface heterogeneity on zinc metal anode cyclability
Svetlana Menkin a c, J.T Simon a c, V. Sedajova a, D. Tripathy a, H.E. Smith a, S.M. Clarke a b, C.P. Grey a c
a Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
b Institite for Energy and Environmental Flows, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0EZ, UK.
c The Faraday Institution, Quad One, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, UK, United Kingdom
Materials for Sustainable Development Conference (MATSUS)
Proceedings of MATSUS Spring 2025 Conference (MATSUSSpring25)
New Generation Batteries, operando Characterization techniques and advanced Manufacturing - #NewGenBatt
Sevilla, Spain, 2025 March 3rd - 7th
Organizers: Maria Crespo and Pedro López-Aranguren
Invited Speaker, Svetlana Menkin, presentation 506
DOI: https://doi.org/10.29363/nanoge.matsusspring.2025.506
Publication date: 16th December 2024

Zinc metal batteries (ZMBs) are promising candidates for low-cost, intrinsically safe, and environmentally friendly energy storage systems. However, the anode is plagued with problems such as the parasitic hydrogen evolution reaction, surface passivation, corrosion, and a rough metal electrode morphology that is prone to short circuits. One strategy to overcome these issues is understanding surface processes to facilitate more homogeneous electrodeposition of zinc by guiding the alignment of electrodeposited zinc. Using Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy (SECM), the charge transport rate on zinc metal anodes was mapped, demonstrating that manipulating electrolyte concentration can influence competing surface reactions and solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation in ZMBs. This work show that more extended high-rate cycling can be achieved using a 1 M ZnSO4 electrolyte, and that these systems have a reduced tendency for soft shorts. Using XPS and Raman spectroscopy, it is demonstrated that an SEI is formed on zinc electrodes at neutral pHs, composed primarily of a Zn4(OH)6SO4.xH2O species attributed to local pH increases at the interface.  This experimental methodology studying metal battery electrodes is transferable to lithium metal and anode-free batteries, and other sustainable battery chemistries such as sodium, magnesium, and calcium.

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