High Stability Dimethyl Sulfoxide/ Zinc Triflate Electrolyte for Zinc-Ion Batteries

Abstract

The increasing global requirement for energy and the possible environmental impact of increased energy usage require cleaner, safer, and more economical energy storage technologies. Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are commonly recognized as the most viable options. Nonetheless, their limitations on material abundance, high cost, and safety issues are the main concerned. Therefore, other battery developments need to be developed. Zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) have recently attracted attention due to their high safety, environmental friendliness, and low cost. Previously, aqueous-based ZIBs have been the focus of attention. Nevertheless, the problems regarding hydrogen evolution and zinc electrode passivation, along with dendrite development, limit their practical application. Herein, a stable and low-cost electrolyte, based on dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and zinc triflate (Zn(Otf)2), is reported as an alternative electrolyte for rechargeable ZIBs based on alpha-type manganese oxide (α-MnO2) intercalation electrode. The behavior of the zinc electrode on stripping and deposition in the DMSO electrolyte is examined. Besides, the charge storage and charge-transfer characteristics of the battery are investigated. The results show that the DMSO-based electrolyte exhibits the lowest overpotential. Also, during long-term cycling, no sign of passivation and dendrite formation on the zinc electrode are observed. Consequently, the battery exhibits excellent electrochemical performance with the maximum specific capacity of 200 mAh/g and good cyclability. Besides,the results confirm the reversible intercalation/de-intercalation of Zn ion from the DMSO-based electrolyte into the α-MnO2 electrode. Overall, the proposed electrolyte system shows high potential for Zn/α-MnO2 battery system. Figure 1