@article{Kang2024, 
author = {Yongchao Kang and Feng Zhang and Houzhen Li and Wangran Wei and Huitong Dong and Hao Chen and Yuanhua Sang and Hong Liu and Shuhua Wang},
title = {Modulating the Electrolyte Inner Solvation Structure via Low Polarity Co-solvent for Low-Temperature Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries},
year = {2024},
journal = {Energy & Environmental Materials},
volume = {7},
number = {5},
pages = {e12707},
keywords = {aqueous zinc-ion batteries, high performance, inner solvation structure, low polarity co-solvent, low-temperature electrolyte},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.1002/eem2.12707},
doi = {10.1002/eem2.12707},
abstract = {Aqueous zinc-ion batteries are regarded as the promising candidates for large-scale energy storage systems owing to low cost and high safety; however, their applications are restricted by their poor low-temperature performance. Herein, a low-temperature electrolyte for low-temperature aqueous zinc-ion batteries is designed by introducing low-polarity diglyme into an aqueous solution of Zn(ClO4)2. The diglyme disrupts the hydrogen-bonding network of water and lowers the freezing point of the electrolyte to −105 °C. The designed electrolyte achieves ionic conductivity up to 16.18 mS cm−1 at −45 °C. The diglyme and ClO4− reconfigure the solvated structure of Zn2+, which is more favorable for the desolvation of Zn2+ at low temperatures. In addition, the diglyme effectively suppresses the dendrites, hydrogen evolution reaction, and by-products of the zinc anode, improving the cycle stability of the battery. At −20 °C, a Zn||Zn symmetrical cell is cycled for 5200 h at 1 mA cm−2 and 1 mA h cm−2, and a Zn||polyaniline battery achieves an ultra-long cycle life of 10 000 times. This study sheds light on the future design of electrolytes with high ionic conductivity and easy desolvation at low temperatures for rechargeable batteries.}
}