Zn-Ion Batteries: Latest Advances and Prospects

Dear Colleagues,

In the past decade, Zinc-Ion Batteries (ZIBs) have garnered significant attention owing to their notable safety, cost-effectiveness, and environmentally friendly attributes. The rapid development of mild aqueous ZIBs has been a driving force behind the advancement of the energy storage system market. Nevertheless, the translation of ZIBs into commercial viability necessitates the resolution of formidable hurdles. Challenges encompassing the suboptimal coulombic efficiency and limited cycle life of Zn anodes, influenced by the emergence of dendrites and concurrent side reactions such as hydrogen evolution and corrosion, have considerably impeded their practical applicability. Furthermore, the energy storage mechanism of cathodes, particularly those based on Mn materials, remains insufficiently understood. Strategies aimed at enhancing electrode stability, achieved through interface modifications, electrolyte additives, and separator design, have emerged as prominent avenues via which to enhance the cycling longevity of ZIBs.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Understanding the energy storage mechanism for Mn-based or V-based cathodes for ZIBs through in situ or ex situ characterizations;
• Proposal of strategies to stabilize the sluggish mechanism of cathodes;
• Development of strategies able to stabilize the Zn anode with fewer side effects and less dendrite formation;
• Development of novel approaches to observing the development of Zn anode dendrites through the integration of acoustic, optical, and electrical monitoring techniques;
• Electrolyte modulation, using the lean additive strategy and deep-eutectic electrolytes;
• Development of mitigating solutions to improve the stability of the cathode materials and the cathode–electrolyte interface;
• Battery performance analysis for practical applications with high cathode mass loading and low N/P ratio (the capacity ratio between the anode and cathode).

Dr. Haobo Dong
Dr. Guanjie He
Dr. Jie Lin
Guest Editors

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• zinc-ion batteries
• electrolyte additives
• Zn anode
• cathode electrolyte interface
• surface modification
• separator design
• interface monitoring