Bio-Based Green and Sustainable Electrolyte Additive for Durable Zinc Anodes

Abstract

In the quest for cost-effective and safe aqueous zinc ion batteries for specific applications, resourceful biomaterials have garnered significant attention due to their diverse surface chemistry, structural diversity, biocompatibility, and environmental friendliness. Herein, we mitigate water activity and the proliferation of zinc dendrites by integrating fresh ginger, which contains the main component (5S)-5-hydroxy-1-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)decan-3-one (denoted as 6G), into the aqueous ZnSO₄ electrolyte (ZSO). This straightforward method demonstrates that the 6G electrolyte additive not only alters the initial hydrogen bond but also creates an extraordinary Zn²⁺ solvation shell. In situ optical microscopy further validates the homogeneous and dense deposition of zinc, attributed to the adsorption of 6G on the zinc slab. The innovative ZSO+6G electrolyte provides Zn||Zn symmetric cells with exceptional cycle stability for 1550 h at a current density of 0.2 mA cm⁻². Meanwhile, the Zn||Cu asymmetric cell attains an impressive average Coulombic efficiency of 99.26% at 1 mA cm⁻². This study introduces an appealing method for optimizing electrolytes using bio-materials to adjust coordination chemistry for the enhancement of durable zinc anodes.

Keywords

biomaterial / corrosion / electrolyte engineering / hydrogen bond / zinc dendrite / zinc-ion battery

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2025 The Author(s). Battery Energy published by Xijing University and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.