Generating H+ in Catholyte and OH– in Anolyte: An Approach to Improve the Stability of Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries

We used bipolar membranes (BMs) as separators in aqueous zinc-ion batteries to decouple the electrolyte, which increased the H+ concentration in the catholyte and the OH– concentration in the anolyte when cycling starting. An ultra-long running time of ∼4440 h was achieved due to the significantly enhanced H+ insertion in the cathode and the formation of Znx(OTf)y(OH)2x-y·nH2O protective layers on the zinc anode.