journal article·2026-04

Realizing Lean‐Electrolyte Zinc‐Ion Batteries via An Ultrathin and Cost‐Effective Separator

Yurou Wu, Meilan Xie, Kai Fu, Zhendong Li, Huixin Shi, Jiarui Zhang, Lihan Wang, Yunliang Jiang, Cailing Liu, Dui Ma, Hongbo Huang, Fanyan Zeng, Yaqi Liao, Han Liu, Yang Ren, Xiao Liang

Advanced Functional Materials· Volume 36· Issue 28
Publisher page

Abstract

Abstract Ultrathin separators accompanied with lean electrolyte conditions are highly desirable for developing high‐energy‐density aqueous Zn‐ion batteries (AZIBs). Herein, a 10 µm separator (PGZ) is designed via a facile and cost‐effective strategy. Experiments and theoretical simulations demonstrated that high polar β ‐PVDF in PGZ separator permits rapid Zn 2+ transfer while blocking OTf – , I 3 – , I 5 – , and H 2 O, effectively homogenizing the Zn 2+ flux, preventing polyiodide shuttle, and suppressing parasitic reactions. Moreover, the ultrathin separator enables a reduced electrolyte usage to 2 µL mg −1 , significantly increasing the energy density. Consequently, Zn/Zn symmetric cells with the PGZ separator stably cycle for 3500 h at 0.5 mA cm −2 @0.5 mAh cm −2 . The Zn/I 2 full cells exhibit ultralong cyclic stability over 23 000 cycles at 5C (≈240 days). Even at harsh conditions of high I 2 loading (10.4 mg cm −2 ), low E/A ratio (2 µL mg −1 , electrolyte volume per active material), and low N/P ratio (3.9), superior cycling performance (2750 cycles with 93.1% capacity retention) and high gravimetric energy density (129.7 Wh kg −1 ) are obtained. This work presents a simple and cost‐effective strategy for designing ultrathin separators for achieving stable lean‐electrolyte and high‐energy‐density AZIBs.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Advanced battery technologies research · Advancements in Battery Materials · Membrane-based Ion Separation Techniques

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Green General Aviation Power School of Power and Energy Nanchang Hangkong University Nanchang Jiangxi 330063 P. R. China

School of Materials Science and Engineering Nanchang Hangkong University Nanchang Jiangxi 330063 P. R. China

State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies School of Physics Sun Yat‐Sen University Guangzhou 510275 P. R. China

Key Laboratory of Jiangxi Province for Persistent Pollutants Control and Resources Recycle College of Environmental and Chemical Engineering Nanchang Hangkong University Nanchang Jiangxi 330063 P. R. China

Department of Physics JC STEM Lab of Energy and Materials Physics City University of Hong Kong Hong Kong 999077 P. R. China

State Key Laboratory of Chem/Bio‐Sensing and Chemometrics Joint International Research Laboratory of Energy Electrochemistry College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Hunan University Changsha 410082 P. R. China

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China · Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province

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