Zinc-air Battery Application Research Articles

Evaluation of an Air Cathode for Zinc Air Battery Applications

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Morphologically controlled Co3O4 nanodisks as practical bi-functional catalyst for rechargeable zinc–air battery applications

The morphological control of Co3O4 by polyvinylpyrrolidone during precipitation reaction has resulted in the formation of two-dimensional nanodisks with surface porosity. As a bi-functional catalyst, Co3O4 nanodisks are active towards both the oxygen reduction and evolution reactions. The electrocatalytic activity is evaluated by preparing air electrodes for rechargeable zinc–air batteries utilizing ambient air to emphasize practicality. The galvanodynamic charge and discharge behaviors are far superior than Co3O4 nanoparticle counterparts particularly at high applied current densities. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy reveals that Co3O4 nanodisk electrode results in significantly less internal, solid-electrolyte interface, and charge transfer resistances which lead to highly efficient electrochemical reactions. Superior rechargeability has also been confirmed where virtually no voltage drops are observed over 60 pulse cycles. The practicality of Co3O4 nanodisks is highlighted by demonstrating comparable discharge voltages and greatly outperforming charge voltages with excellent electrochemical stability than commercial Pt/C catalyst.

A Near-Neutral Chloride Electrolyte for Electrically Rechargeable Zinc-Air Batteries

Near-neutral electrolytes based on zinc chloride and ammonium chloride are examined for rechargeable zinc-air battery application. The effects of pH value, salt concentration, and polyethylene glycol and thiourea additives are investigated and a chloride electrolyte is developed. The reversible zinc deposition and zinc stripping processes are studied by cyclic voltammetry with rotating-disc electrode technique. The zinc anode and air cathode behaviors in near-neutral chloride electrolyte are characterized by quasi steady-state polarization and impedance spectroscopy. Prototyped zinc-air battery with near-neutral chloride electrolytes can sustain more than 1000 hours and hundreds of discharge-charge cycles with minimized zinc dendrite formation and no carbonate formation problem, under discharge-charge capacity ranging from 20 to 120 mAh. The near-neutral chloride electrolyte provides a safer and more robust alternative to traditional alkaline electrolyte for rechargeable zinc-air batteries.

Highly Active and Stable Non-Precious Metal Catalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Zinc Air Battery Application

not Available.

Self-assembly preparation of mesoporous hollow nanospheric manganese dioxide and its application in zinc-air battery

Self-assembly preparation of mesoporous hollow nanospheric manganese dioxide and its application in zinc-air battery

Self-assembly preparation of mesoporous hollow nanospheric manganese dioxide and its application in zinc-air battery

In this work, mesoporous manganese dioxide with novel hollow nanospheric structure was prepared by a facile, template-free self-assembly process at room temperature in a short period of time. The product was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The results indicate that the as-prepared material has a special mesoporous hollow nanospheric morphology and a typical composition of γ-MnO2. Polarization curve, chronoamperometry and Tafel plot tests demonstrate that this nanostructured material has high electrocatalytic activity for the reduction of dioxygen compared to commercial electrolytic MnO2 (EMD). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy that was analyzed by equivalent circuit shows that as-prepared MnO2-catalysted air electrode has a small contact resistance and ohmic resistance, a low value of electrochemical polarization resistance. An all solid-state zinc-air cell has been fabricated with this material as electrocatalyst for oxygen electrode and potassium salt of cross-linked poly(acrylic acid) as an alkaline polymer gel electrolyte. The cell has a better discharge characteristic than that of the cell employing EMD at room temperature.