Zinc Metal Research Articles

Effect of Cd–Zn compound contamination on the physiological response of broad bean and aphids

IntroductionThe heavy metal elements cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) often coexist in nature, making the environmental media more prone to compound pollution. However, research on the toxic effect of the Cd–Zn combination is still lacking, and the underlying toxic mechanisms remain unclear.MethodsTherefore, in this experiment, we established four treatment groups with different ratios of Cd–Zn compound stress for the broad bean, Vicia faba L., and aphids, Megoura crassicauda, to explore the growth and physiological adaptation mechanisms under different levels of mixed heavy metal stress.ResultsBy measuring the germination rate, seedling height, and chlorophyll content of broad beans, we found that Cd–Zn-mixed stress has a synergistic inhibitory effect on the growth and development of broad beans. Cd and Zn can be transferred through the food chain, while broad beans can resist complex stress by regulating the content of total soluble sugars and photosynthetic pigments in the body, as well as accumulating proline. In addition, in the first generation of adult aphids, treatment with Cd (12.5 mg/kg) + Zn (100 mg/kg) significantly affected the expression of trehalase (TRE) and trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS) genes and influenced the carbohydrate content and trehalase activity in the aphids.DiscussionThe number of offspring produced by the second-generation aphids was significantly reduced under mixed heavy metal treatment, but it was not caused by changes in the vitellogenin (Vg) content. These related results provide new avenues for further exploration of plant responses to mixed heavy metal stress, pest control, and management of heavy metal pollution.

Multifunctional Covalent Organic Frameworks for Zinc Metal Anodes

ABSTRACTAqueous zinc‐ion batteries (AZIBs) are one promising electrochemical energy storage system attributed to their high theoretical capacity, relatively low cost as well as high safety. Nevertheless, the formation for zinc dendrites at the anode side severely impedes their electrochemical performance. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), as promising porous materials, possess some broad application prospects in advanced energy storage and conversion systems and they have demonstrated their versatility in settling the issues for zinc metal anodes. In this current review, the multifunctionality of COFs is reviewed. The overview toward zinc metal anodes is firstly overviewed. Then, multifunctional covalent organic frameworks toward stable zinc metal anodes is summarized. By construction of nanoporous structure, introduction of negative charges and utilization of zincophilic properties, COFs could act as protective layers for ZIBs. In addition, COFs have been utilized as the anode materials, separators and electrolytes in AZIBs. Finally, some perspective of COFs toward highly stable AZIBs are presented. This review could plat a platform for the application of the porous materials in advanced high‐energy‐density batteries.

Mechanism and Structural Defects of Zinc Film Deposited on a Copper Substrate: A Study via Molecular Dynamics Simulations

Epitaxial growth can be used to guide the controllable growth of one metal on the surface of another substrate by matching the interface lattice, thus improving the dendrite tendency of metal growth. The atomic arrangement of the Cu (111) crystal plane of the FCC structure is similar to that of the Zn (0002) crystal plane of the HCP structure, which is theoretically expected to promote the heterogeneous epitaxial nucleation growth of metal zinc under low strain. In this paper, the molecular dynamics method is used to simulate the atomic process of zinc film growth on the Cu (111) surface. It is found that the behavior of zinc-adsorbed atoms on the substrate surface conforms to the epitaxial growth mode. The close-packed structure grown along the (0002) direction of the layered clusters is tiled on the Cu (111) surface, forming a highly ordered low-lattice-mismatch interface. When a large area of layered zinc clusters cover the substrate, the growth mode will change from heteroepitaxial growth to homoepitaxial growth of Zn atoms on the zinc film, forming a lamellar distribution composed of FCC and HCP structure grains. Polycrystalline zinc film with a planar structure with a (0002) surface preferred a crystal plane. The increase in incident energy is helpful in improving the quality of zinc films, while the deposition rate, corresponding to the deposition temperature and electrolyte ion concentration, has no significant effect on the surface morphology and crystal structure of single metal films. In summary, the atomic arrangement of the Cu (111) surface has a strong guiding effect on the atomic ordered arrangement in the zinc film crystal, which is suitable for the epitaxial deposition of the substrate to induce the ordered growth of the Zn (0002) crystal plane.

All-natural charge gradient interface for sustainable seawater zinc batteries

Paring seawater electrolyte with zinc metal electrode has emerged as one of the most sustainable alternative solutions for offshore stationary energy storages owing to the intrinsic safety, extremely low cost, and unlimited water source. However, it remains a substantial challenge to stabilize zinc metal negative electrode in seawater electrolyte, given the presence of chloride ions and complex cations in seawater. Here, we reveal that chloride pitting initiates negative electrode corrosion and aggravates dendritic deposition, causing rapid battery failure. We then report a charge gradient negative electrode interface design that eliminates chloride-induced corrosion and enables a sustainable zinc plating/stripping performance beyond 1300 h in natural seawater electrolyte at 1 mA cm-2/1 mAh cm-2. The gradually strengthened negative charges formed via diffusion-controlled electrostatic complexation of biomass-derived polysaccharides serve to repel the unfavorable accumulation of chloride ions while simultaneously accelerating the diffusion of zinc ions. The seawater-based Zn | |NaV3O8·7H2O cell delivers an initial areal discharge capacity of 5 mAh cm-2 and operates over 500 cycles at 500 mA g-1.

Achieving Fast Ionic Transport and High Mechanical Properties of Cellulose-Based Solid-State Electrolyte via a Cationic Chain-Extended Effect for Zinc Metal Batteries.

In recent years, rechargeable aqueous zinc metal batteries have ushered in rapid development, but their large-scale industrial application is hindered by zinc anode dendrite formation and hydrogen evolution reaction. Using a solid-state polymer electrolyte is one of the strategies to solve this problem. Herein, by introducing the chain-expanding effect of zinc salts on oxidized bacterial cellulose, cellulose-based polymer electrolytes with excellent strength and ionic conductivity are prepared. According to the thermogravimetric calculations, the bound water content in prepared electrolytes greatly increases, which slows down the occurrence of side reactions. More importantly, the expanding distance between the fiber chains provides more space for the movement of Zn2+. The obtained solid-state electrolyte displays a high ionic conductivity (38.26 mS cm-1) and good mechanical properties (tensile stress is 592 kPa and tensile strain is 381%). Due to the properties of the solid electrolyte itself, its electrochemical window is expanded to 2.58 V. The assembled Zn∥Zn symmetrical battery maintains an ultralong cycle lifespan over 980 h of 0.5 mA cm-2. The Zn∥NH4V10O10 battery provides the specific capacity (363.1 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1) and shows a satisfactory rate performance.

Sustainable Approach for Synthesis of Ternary Composite Based on Zinc Metal-Organic Framework and Its Boosting Performance for Supercapacitor Applications

Abstract The integration of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and carbon materials boosts the electrochemical performance of supercapacitor (SC) electrodes. Hereby a facile and inexpensive method for synthesizing new hybrid supercapacitor electrode materials, zinc metal framework/reduced graphene oxide (Zn-MOF/rGO), zinc metal framework/polypyrrole (Zn-MOF/PPy) and zinc metal framework/polypyrrole/reduced graphene oxide (Zn-MOF/PPy/rGO) composites were performed. Surface and morphological properties of the four composites were conducted using different tools. The synthesized composites were then loaded onto a nickel foam (NF) substrate for supercapacitor electrochemical tests. The produced Zn-MOF/PPy/rGO nanocomposite loaded on NF electrode materials demonstrated improved electrochemical efficiency, with a high specific capacitance of 500.7 Fg− 1 at a scan rate of 3 Ag− 1. Moreover, a capacitance retention of 78.5%, and outstanding cyclic stability over 5000 cycles in the three-electrode setup with 1 M KOH electrolyte was observed. The improved electrochemical behavior of Zn-MOF/PPy/rGO nanocomposite loaded on NF electrode materials for SCs, as well as its fast and simple synthesis process, give a suitable and rapid way to synthesize other types of metal-organic frameworks nanocomposite electrodes for various energy storage devices.

Interface regulation and electrolyte design strategies for zinc anodes in high-performance zinc metal batteries.

Rechargeable zinc metal batteries (ZMBs) represent a promising solution for large-scale energy storage due to their safety, cost-effectiveness, and high theoretical capacity. However, the development of zinc metal anodes is hindered by challenges such as dendrite formation, hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and low Coulombic efficiency stemming from undesirable interfacial processes in aqueous electrolytes. This review explores various strategies to enhance zinc anode performance, focusing on artificial SEI, morphology adjustments, electrolyte regulation, and flowing electrolyte. These approaches aim to suppress dendrite growth, mitigate side reactions, and optimize the electric double layer (EDL) and Zn2+ solvation structures. By addressing these interfacial challenges, the insights presented here pave the way for designing high-performance ZMBs, offering directions for future research into scalable and sustainable battery technologies.

Regulating inner Helmholtz plane by partial carbonization nano-dots additive for reversible zinc metal anode

Regulating inner Helmholtz plane by partial carbonization nano-dots additive for reversible zinc metal anode

Comprehensive crystallographic engineering for high-efficiency and durable zinc metal anodes

Comprehensive crystallographic engineering for high-efficiency and durable zinc metal anodes

Stereoisomeric Engineering Mediated Zinc Metal Electrodeposition: Critical Balance of Solvation and Adsorption Capability

Stereoisomeric Engineering Mediated Zinc Metal Electrodeposition: Critical Balance of Solvation and Adsorption Capability

Tyrosine additives with rich-polar functional groups provide multi-protections for ultra-stable zinc metal anodes

Tyrosine additives with rich-polar functional groups provide multi-protections for ultra-stable zinc metal anodes

Active Water Optimization in Different Electrolyte Systems for Stable Zinc Anodes.

Zinc (Zn) metal, with abundant resources, intrinsic safety, and environmental benignity, presents an attractive prospect as a novel electrode material. However, many substantial challenges remain in realizing the widespread application of aqueous Zn-ion batteries (AZIBs) technologies. These encompass significant material corrosion challenges (This can lead to battery failure in an unloaded state.), hydrogen evolution reactions, pronounced dendrite growth at the anode interface, and a constrained electrochemical stability window. Consequently, these factors contribute to diminished battery lifespan and energy efficiency while restricting high-voltage performance. Although numerous reviews have addressed the potential of electrode and separator design to mitigate these issues to some extent, the inherent reactivity of water remains the fundamental source of these challenges, underscoring the necessity for precise regulation of active water molecules within the electrolyte. In this review, the failure mechanism of AZIBs (unloaded and in charge and discharge state) is analyzed, and the optimization strategy and working principle of water in the electrolyte are reviewed, aiming to provide insights for effectively controlling the corrosion process and hydrogen evolution reaction, further controlling dendrite formation, and expanding the range of electrochemical stability. Furthermore, it outlines the challenges to promote its practical application and future development pathways.

Enhancing Zn Deposition Reversibility on MXene Current Collectors by Forming ZnF2-Containing Solid-Electrolyte Interphase for Anode-Free Zinc Metal Batteries.

Anode-free aqueous zinc metal batteries (AZMBs) offer significant potential for energy storage due to their low cost and environmental benefits. Ti3C2Tx MXene provides several advantages over traditional metallic current collectors like Cu and Ti, including better Zn plating affinity, lightweight, and flexibility. However, self-freestanding MXene current collectors in AZMBs remain underexplored, likely due to challenges with Zn deposition reversibility. This study investigates the combination of a Ti3C2Tx self-freestanding film with advanced electrolyte engineering, specifically examining the effects of Li-salt and propylene carbonate (PC) as additives on Zn plating reversibility. While using Li+ ions as an additive alone facilitates uniform Zn deposition on bulk metals through the electrostatic shielding effect, the addition of Li-salt negatively impacts Zn plating uniformity on Ti3C2Tx. Meanwhile, using PC additive alone forms an organic SEI layer on Ti3C2Tx and causes Zn agglomeration. The use of both additives together results in a ZnF2-containing hybrid SEI layer with improved interfacial kinetics, promoting more uniform Zn deposition. This approach achieves an average Coulombic efficiency (CE) of 96.8% over 150 cycles (a maximum CE of 97.8%). The study highlights the strategic difference in electrolyte design, emphasizing the need for tailored approaches to optimize Zn deposition on MXenes, contrasting with traditional metallic current collectors.

A Near‐Single‐Ion Conducting Protective Layer for Dendrite‐Free Zinc Metal Anodes

AbstractThe instability of zinc metal anodes, including dendrite formation and corrosion, limits their application in aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (AZIBs). Here, a near‐single zinc‐ion conducting (NSIC) protective layer that enables dendrite‐free Zn anodes by integrating Zn2⁺‐conducting polymer matrices with counter‐anion trapping agents is presented. Sulfonic acid groups, covalently bonded to polymeric backbones enhance Zn2⁺ ion mobility while counter‐anions are immobilized by amine‐functionalized metal‐organic frameworks embedded within the polymer layer. This synergistic combination enables near single zinc ion transport (tZn2⁺ = 0.91). The NSIC layer extends sand's time and promotes uniform Zn deposition along the (002) orientation, preventing dendrite formation. Consequently, full cells with thin Zn@NSIC anodes (14 µm) exhibit stable cycling performance over 5000 cycles at 5 A g⁻¹, with a low negative‐to‐positive areal capacity (NP) ratio of 3.3 and a Zn depth of discharge exceeding 30%. Furthermore, the NSIC layer is also adapted for enlarged Zn anodes (80 cm2) in large‐sized full cells, delivering stable operation with a capacity of ≈300 mAh at 1 A g⁻¹. These results offer valuable insights into ion transport control within protective layers, advancing the development of practical AZIBs with high anode reversibility.

Green approach to synthesis polymer composites based on chitosan with desired linear and non-linear optical characteristics

The current study used sustainable and green approaches to convey polymer composites with desired optical properties. The extracted green tea dye (GTD) enriched with ligands was used to synthesize zinc metal complexes. Green chitosan biopolymer incorporated with green synthesized metal complex using casting technique was used to deliver polymer composites with improved optical properties. The FTIR-ATR was used to identify the functional groups of the GTD, pure CS, and functional groups surrounding the synthesized zinc metal complex. Distinguished ATR bands were observed in green tea dye spectra, such as OH, C = O, and NH functional groups ascribed to various polyphenols. The ATR bands of the zinc metal complex compared to GDT established that GDT is crucial to capturing zinc cations and producing the Zn2+-metal complex. The broadness of the bands observed in CS-based composites inserted with the Zn2+- metal complex confirms strong interaction among the components of polymer composites. The XRD achievements confirm that CS films with different Zn2+- metal complex concentrations transferred to an amorphous composite. The XRD pattern of composite films establishes that the zinc metal complex scarified the crystalline phases of chitosan. Linear optical properties such as absorption, refractive index (n), and optical dielectric parameters were improved. The absorption edge of the composite’s films shifted to lower photon energies. Various models were used to determine the optical band gap. The band gap drops from when chitosan is loaded with a 36% Zn2+-metal complex. The Spitzer-Fan method is used to get the dielectric constant, and the Drude Lorentz oscillator model was used to calculate vital optical parameters, including N/m*, τ, and µopt. The W-D single oscillator model was used to determine the Eo and Ed parameters. The values of optical moments (M−1 and M−3) were calculated with the help of the W-D model. The oscillator’s strength () and wavelength () were determined via the Sellmeier model using the linear refractive index. The first-order nonlinear ( ), second-order non-linear () and third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility () were determined for all the films.

Water-Deficient Interface Induced via Hydrated Eutectic Electrolyte with Restrictive Water to Achieve High-Performance Aqueous Zinc Metal Batteries.

The development of aqueous zinc metal batteries (AZMBs) is hampered by dendrites and side reactions induced by reactive H2O. In this study, a hydrated eutectic electrolyte with restrictive water consisting of zinc trifluoromethanesulfonate (Zn(OTf)2), 1,3-propanediol (PDO), and water is developed to improve the stability of the anode/electrolyte interface in AZMBs via the formation of a water-deficient interface. Additionally, PDO participates in the Zn2+ solvation structure and inhibits the movement of water molecules. PDO also preferentially adsorbs along the Zn (100) plane, thereby inducing the formation of the organic/inorganic SEI layer that enables the cycle life of a Zn//Zn symmetric cell to reach 3000h at 1mAcm-2 and 1mAhcm-2. Further, interfacial modulation by the eutectic electrolyte improves the cycling stability of Zn//V2O5 and Zn//VO2 cells. Particularly, the specific capacity of a Zn//V2O5 cell with the eutectic electrolyte is 1.7 times that of a cell with the 2M Zn(OTf)2 electrolyte, with a capacity retention of 93% after 100 cycles at 0.5Ag-1. This study provides a new perspective on the electrolyte modification strategies for AZMBs, highlighting the potential of PDO-8 electrolyte in developing aqueous energy storage devices with excellent cycling stability.

Regulation of Zinc Hydroxide Sulfate Growth Environment for Stable Zinc Anode/Electrolyte Interfaces.

Metallic Zn is a promising anode for high-safety, low-cost, and large-scale energy storage systems. However, it is strongly hindered by unstable electrode/electrolyte interface issues, including zinc dendrite, corrosion, passivation, and hydrogen evolution reactions. In this work, an in situ interface protection strategy is established by turning the corrosion/passivation byproducts (zinc hydroxide sulfates, ZHSs) into a stable hybrid protection layer. The hydrolysis of the diglycolamine buffer layer on the zinc anode provides a homogeneous basic electrolyte environment for the generation of small-sized ZHS, thereby leading to the formation of a ZHS-based hybrid layer. Benefiting from this hybrid layer, uniform zinc ion flux and high anticorrosion ability can be achieved. As a result, the decorated symmetric cell presents a long cycling lifespan of over 1500 h at a current density of 1 mA cm-2 and an area capacity of 1 mAh cm-2. It also contributes to the appealing cycling and rate performance of Zn|NH4V4O10 full cells. This work provides insight into regulating and reusing interfacial byproducts for high-performance zinc metal batteries.

Nano-Zinc Sulfide Modified 3D Reconstructed Zinc Anode with Induced Deposition Effect Assists Long-Cycle Stable Aqueous Zinc Ion Battery.

Aqueous zinc ion batteries are often adversely affected by the poor stability of zinc metal anodes. Persistent water-induced side reactions and uncontrolled dendrite growth have seriously damaged the long-term service life of aqueous zinc ion batteries. In this paper, it is reported that a zinc sulfide with optimized electron arrangement on the surface of zinc anode is used to modify the zinc anode to achieve long-term cycle stability of zinc anode. The effective active sites of the zinc metal anode surface are first significantly improved by a simple ultrasound-assisted etching strategy, and then the in situ zinc sulfide interface phase further guides the zinc ion deposition behavior on the surface of the zinc metal anode. The zinc sulfide protective layer well regulates the interfacial electric field and the migration of Zn2+, thereby significantly promoting the homogenization of zinc ion flux to achieve dendrite-free deposition. In addition, the aqueous zinc ion full cell assembled based on ZnS@3D-Zn anode achieves better output performance in long-term cycles. In summary, this work sheds light on the importance of reasonable interfacial modification for the development of dendrite-free and stable zinc anode chemistry, which opens up a new path for promoting the development of zinc-based batteries.

Epitaxial Electrodeposition of Zinc on Different Single Crystal Copper Substrates for High Performance Aqueous Batteries.

The aqueous zinc metal battery holds great potential for large-scale energy storage due to its safety, low cost, and high theoretical capacity. However, challenges such as corrosion and dendritic growth necessitate controlled zinc deposition. This study employs epitaxy to achieve large-area, dense, and ultraflat zinc plating on textured copper foil. High-quality copper foils with Cu(100), Cu(110), and Cu(111) facets were prepared and systematically compared. The results show that Cu(111) is the most favorable for zinc deposition, offering the lowest nucleation overpotential, diffusion energy, and interfacial energy with a Coulombic efficiency (CE) of 99.93%. The study sets a record for flat-zinc areal loading at 20 mAh/cm2. These findings provide some clarity on the best-performing copper and zinc crystalline facets, with Cu(111)/Zn(0002) ranking the highest. Using a MnO2-Zn full cell model, the research achieved an exceptional cycle life of over 800 cycles in a cathode-anode-free battery configuration.

Size Distribution of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Depending on the Temperature of Electrochemical Synthesis.

One of the methods for obtaining zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) is electrochemical synthesis. In this study, the anodic dissolution process of metallic zinc in alcohol solutions of LiCl was used to synthesize ZnO NPs. The products were obtained as colloidal suspensions in an electrolyte solution. Due to the small size and ionic nature of the zinc oxide molecule, colloidal nanoparticles tend to cluster into larger groupings, so the size of nanoparticles in solutions will differ from the size of nanoparticles observed in ZnO powders after solvent evaporation. The main goal of this research is to investigate the influence of the temperature of synthesis and the kind of alcohol on the size of ZnO NP micelles. Nanocrystals of zinc oxide were obtained in all tested alcohols: methanol, ethanol, and 1-propanol. The particle size was determined using the Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) method. It was observed that the particles synthesized in methanol were the largest, followed by smaller particles in ethanol, while the smallest particles were obtained in 1-propanol. Additionally, the particles obtained in ethanol were the most uniform in size, showing the highest level of size homogeneity.