Integrated solution for a stable and high-performance zinc-ion battery using an electrolyte additive

Owing to their excellent safety, high capacity, eco-friendliness, and low cost, aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) consisting of Zn anode and vanadium pentoxide cathode are considered as an attractive candidate for large-scale energy storage systems. However, the non-uniform dendrite growth and hydrogen evolution at the anode, as well as metal-ion dissolution at the cathode, caused by the utilization of acid electrolytes limit the capacity and cycle life of ZIBs. To address this, this study demonstrated the use of a stable and high-performance active material as the anode/cathode and vanadium (IV) oxide sulfate (VOSO4) as an electrolyte additive to fabricate high-energy performance ZIBs via a one-step process. The self-assembled passive layer on the anode surface enabled improved ion diffusion kinetics; thus, the ZIBs exhibited increased capacity (590 mAh g − 1 at 1 A g − 1) and rate capability (420 mAh g − 1 at 5 A g − 1). In addition, the inhibition of vanadium dissolution at the cathode extended the cycling performance of the battery for up to 400 cycles with a capacity retention of 77%. This strategy is a facile and feasible method to address the anode and cathode issues of ZIBs, thus providing new opportunities for the realization of stable and high-performance ZIBs.