A rechargeable zinc-air battery based on zinc peroxide chemistry
Abstract
Batteries based on the reaction of zinc and oxygen have been used for more than a century, but these have been primary (that is, nonrechargeable) cells. These batteries use an alkaline electrolyte and require a four-electron reduction of oxygen to water, which is a slow process. Sun et al. show that with the right choice of nonalkaline electrolyte, the battery can operate using a two-electron zinc-oxygen/zinc peroxide chemistry that is far more reversible. By making the electrolyte hydrophobic, water is excluded from the near surface of the cathode, thus preventing the four-electron reduction. These batteries also show higher energy density and better cycling stability.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2021
- Source ID
- 10.1126/science.abb9554
Entities
People
- Bao Zhang
- Chunsheng Wang
- Claudia Theile
- Fei Wang
- Kang Xu
- Martin Winter
- Mengyi Zhang
- Peter Bieker
- Verena Küpers
- Wei Sun
- Xiao Ji
Organizations
- Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space
- Fudan University
- Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres
- Huazhong University of Science and Technology
- Office of Science
- United States Army Research Laboratory
- United States Department of Energy
- University of Maryland
- University of Münster