Establishing Ultralow Self‐Discharge Zn‐I2 Battery by Optimizing ZnSO4 Electrolyte Concentration

Abstract

AbstractAs one of promising candidates for large‐scale energy‐storage systems, Zn‐I2 aqueous battery exhibits multifaceted advantages including low cost, high energy/powder density, and intrinsic operational safety, but also suffers from fast self‐discharge and short cycle/shelf lifespan associating with I3− shuttle, Zn dendrite growth, and corrosion. In this paper, the battery's self‐discharge rate is successfully suppressed down to an unprecedent level of 17.1% after an ultralong shelf‐time of 1 000 h (i.e., 82.9% capacity retention after 41 days open‐circuit storage), by means of manipulating solvation structures of traditional ZnSO4 electrolyte via simply adjusting electrolyte concentration. Better yet, the optimized 2.7 m ZnSO4 electrolyte further prolongs the cycle lifespan of the battery up to >10 000 and 43 000 cycles at current density of 1 and 5 A g−1, respectively, thanks to the synthetic benefits from reduced free water content, modified solvation structure and lowered I2 dissolution in the electrolyte. With both long lifespan and ultralow self‐discharge, this reliable and affordable Zn‐I2 battery may provide a feasible alternative to the centuries‐old lead‐acid battery.