The investigation on the electrochemical performance of CuI as cathode material for zinc storage

Abstract

Aqueous zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) have recently triggered increasing research interest because of their low-cost, safety and environment friendliness, while the development of low-cost, non-toxic and high-performance cathode materials has been restricting the development of zinc-ion batteries. Herein, the CuI was synthesized by hydrothermal method and for the first time evaluated as a cathode material for rechargeable zinc ion battery. The CuI/Zn system exhibits the capacity of 115 mA h g−1 with a capacity retention of 85% which shows better cycle stability at the low current densities of 100 mA g−1. The kinetics during the cycle were determined using cyclic voltammetry at different sweep rates and Galvanostatic Intermittent Titration Technique. A synergetic reaction mechanism consisting of intercalation and sedimentation/dissolutions proposed for the electrochemical cycle. The successful application of CuI in zinc ion indicates that the CuI electrode is worthy of further exploration and application.