Proceedings of MATSUS Spring 2025 Conference (MATSUSSpring25)
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.