Rechargeable Mild Aqueous Zinc Batteries for Grid Storage

• Published in: Advanced energy and sustainability research Vol. 1; no. 1
• Main Authors: Yan, Mengdie, Ni, Hailan, Pan, Huilin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Argonne John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.11.2020
• Subjects: Anions; Anodes; Cathodes; Charge materials; Chemical bonds; Commercialization; Configuration management; Current carriers; Electrode materials; Electrolytes; Energy storage; grid storage; Phosphates; Product safety; Rechargeable batteries; rechargeable mild aqueous Zn batteries; Zinc; Zn metal anodes; Zn storage behavior
• ISSN: 2699-9412; 2699-9412
• DOI: 10.1002/aesr.202000026

Rechargeable mild aqueous zinc batteries have recently attracted tremendous interest for large‐scale grid storage due to their potentially highest energy density and safety, and lowest cost among available aqueous battery technologies. Herein, a variety of cathode materials, zinc anode structures, and electrolytes are briefly reviewed. A multi‐type of charge carriers such as Zn2+, H+, and anions can be reversibly stored in cathodes in rechargeable mild aqueous zinc batteries. The charge storage behavior in cathodes and strategies to address the reversibility and dendrite growth of zinc anodes are comprehensively summarized. Solutions to the remaining challenges such as long‐term stability and economy of cathodes and zinc anodes are discussed. This review also includes an analysis of mild aqueous zinc battery chemistry with reported cathode materials and anode materials. A perspective for the practical development of rechargeable mild aqueous zinc batteries regarding cathode design, zinc anode utilization, and cell configuration is also included to accelerate the commercialization of zinc batteries. In the future, rechargeable mild aqueous zinc batteries would be a visible energy storage solution for grid storage. Developing alternative energy storage solutions to commercial lithium‐ion batteries is imperative to the realization of large‐scale energy storage. Rechargeable mild aqueous zinc batteries could be a potential solution due to the advantages of low‐cost and high energy that are superior to conventional aqueous batteries. The recent progress, challenges, and possible solutions for zinc batteries are carefully discussed herein.