Suppressing Hydrogen Evolution via Anticatalytic Interfaces toward Highly Efficient Aqueous Zn-Ion Batteries

Research output: Journal Publications and ReviewsRGC 21 - Publication in refereed journalpeer-review

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Author(s)

  • Chun-Chuan Kao
  • Chao Ye
  • Junnan Hao
  • Huan Li
  • Shi-Zhang Qiao

Detail(s)

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3948-3957
Journal / PublicationACS Nano
Volume17
Issue number4
Online published6 Feb 2023
Publication statusPublished - 28 Feb 2023
Externally publishedYes

Abstract

Aqueous Zn-ion batteries hold practical promise for large-scale energy storage because of the safety and affordability of aqueous-based electrolytes; in addition, the manufacturing process is significantly simplified by direct employment of Zn metal as an anode. However, hydrogen evolution due to near-surface water dissociation has hindered large-scale applications of them. Here, we report the suppression of the hydrogen evolution reaction via a CuN3-coordinated graphitic carbonitride (CuN3-C3N4) anticatalytic interface to achieve highly efficient aqueous Zn-ion batteries. Based on in situ gas chromatography and in situ synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, we demonstrated that the hydrogen evolution reaction triggers the Zn4SO4(OH)6·xH2O formation. A combination of in situ infrared spectroscopy and density functional theory simulations has proved to stabilize near-surface H3O+ species and regulate adsorption of H* intermediates by an anticatalytic interface for hydrogen evolution reaction suppression. Consequently, the anticatalytic interface greatly improves the Coulombic efficiency of Zn plating/stripping to ∼99.7% for 5500 cycles and the cycling reversibility to over 1300 h at 1 mA cm-2 and 1 mAh cm-2. With an anticatalytic interface, the full cell shows an excellent Coulombic efficiency of 98.3% over 400 cycles at 1C. These findings provide strategic insight for targeted designing of highly efficient aqueous Zn-ion batteries. © 2023 American Chemical Society.

Research Area(s)

  • anticatalytic interface, aqueous Zn-ion batteries, DFT calculations, hydrogen evolution reaction suppression, in situ ATR-IR, in situ GC, in situ XRD

Citation Format(s)

Suppressing Hydrogen Evolution via Anticatalytic Interfaces toward Highly Efficient Aqueous Zn-Ion Batteries. / Kao, Chun-Chuan; Ye, Chao; Hao, Junnan et al.
In: ACS Nano, Vol. 17, No. 4, 28.02.2023, p. 3948-3957.

Research output: Journal Publications and ReviewsRGC 21 - Publication in refereed journalpeer-review