Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are a promising, environmentally friendly, and safe energy storage technology that has extensive application prospects. Nevertheless, the inappropriate selection of current collectors has emerged as a crucial bottleneck impeding their commercialization. To address this industrial challenge, this research designs a comprehensive experiment covering the entire process of current collector selection and performance analysis. The primary objective is to establish a correlation between the physical and chemical properties of current collectors and the electrochemical performance of batteries, providing feasible technical reference solutions for AZIB process optimization. Simultaneously, by modeling the entire practical chain from material synthesis, structural characterization, and device assembly to performance testing, this study aims to consolidate students’ professional foundation, improve their comprehensive practical abilities, and contribute to the development of innovative and applied talents in the new energy field.

Three representative current collectors—graphite paper (GP), titanium foil (Ti), and stainless steel mesh (SS)—were selected as the objects of this research. A thorough comparative analysis was conducted on their unit-area cost, surface density, electrical conductivity, chemical stability, and interfacial coupling with the cathode materials. The hydrothermal method was used to synthesize the nanoflower spherical MnO₂ cathode material. Subsequently, this material was uniformly coated on the surfaces of the three current collectors to construct composite cathodes. Finally, coin-type AZIBs were assembled. By means of rate performance, long-cycle stability testing, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and kinetic analysis, the influence of different current collectors on the batteries’ electrochemical performance was systematically investigated, and the correlation between the current collector characteristics and the batteries’ core performance was established.

This study found that although the conductivity of GP is lower than that of Ti and SS, it can significantly reduce the charge transfer impedance at the electrode interface and improve the interface electron transfer efficiency and structural stability. This can be attributed to its outstanding interface compatibility and robust mechanical bonding force with the cathode material. Based on this, the discharge specific capacity and rate retention of the MnO₂-GP cathode at rates ranging from 0.3 to 3 A·g⁻¹, as well as the long-cycle stability at 1 and 3 A·g⁻¹, are significantly superior to those of the MnO₂-Ti and MnO₂-SS cathodes. GP also exhibits the notable advantages of low cost, light weight, and excellent electrochemical performance. These characteristics overcome the application limitations of traditional rigid current collectors and present a novel technical concept for designing and developing flexible AZIBs.

Through the comprehensive full-process design that includes material preparation, property characterization, device assembly, and performance verification, this research not only elucidates the regulatory mechanism of the current collector’s characteristics on the electrochemical performance of the MnO₂ cathode but also validates that GP is the optimal current collector. GP combines electrochemical performance with cost advantages and application flexibility. This work supplements and enriches the theoretical framework for selecting current collectors in AZIBs. Meanwhile, the full-process practical procedures broaden students’ professional knowledge in the field of new energy materials and improve their experimental operation skills and problem-analysis abilities, thereby providing an effective method for the cultivation of innovative and applied talents.