Establishing Ultralow Self‐Discharge Zn‐I₂ Battery by Optimizing ZnSO₄ Electrolyte Concentration

Abstract

Abstract As one of promising candidates for large‐scale energy‐storage systems, Zn‐I 2 aqueous battery exhibits multifaceted advantages including low cost, high energy/powder density, and intrinsic operational safety, but also suffers from fast self‐discharge and short cycle/shelf lifespan associating with I 3 − shuttle, Zn dendrite growth, and corrosion. In this paper, the battery's self‐discharge rate is successfully suppressed down to an unprecedent level of 17.1% after an ultralong shelf‐time of 1 000 h (i.e., 82.9% capacity retention after 41 days open‐circuit storage), by means of manipulating solvation structures of traditional ZnSO 4 electrolyte via simply adjusting electrolyte concentration. Better yet, the optimized 2.7 m ZnSO 4 electrolyte further prolongs the cycle lifespan of the battery up to >10 000 and 43 000 cycles at current density of 1 and 5 A g −1 , respectively, thanks to the synthetic benefits from reduced free water content, modified solvation structure and lowered I 2 dissolution in the electrolyte. With both long lifespan and ultralow self‐discharge, this reliable and affordable Zn‐I 2 battery may provide a feasible alternative to the centuries‐old lead‐acid battery.