Reconstructing interfacial electric double layer for efficient sulfur conversion reaction in aqueous zinc sulfur batteries

Jie Lei, Jiandong Lin, Yinze Zuo (), Yong Yan, Yue Lu, Rongxin Gao, Peining Lin, Mingquan Liu, Hao Yan, Wei Yan () and Jiujun Zhang ()
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Jie Lei: Fuzhou University, Institute for New Energy Materials and Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering
Jiandong Lin: Fuzhou University, Institute for New Energy Materials and Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering
Yinze Zuo: Fuzhou University, Institute for New Energy Materials and Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering
Yong Yan: Fuzhou University, Institute for New Energy Materials and Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering
Yue Lu: Fuzhou University, Institute for New Energy Materials and Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering
Rongxin Gao: Fuzhou University, Institute for New Energy Materials and Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering
Peining Lin: Fuzhou University, Institute for New Energy Materials and Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering
Mingquan Liu: Fuzhou University, Institute for New Energy Materials and Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering
Hao Yan: Fuzhou University, Institute for New Energy Materials and Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering
Wei Yan: Fuzhou University, Institute for New Energy Materials and Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering
Jiujun Zhang: Fuzhou University, Institute for New Energy Materials and Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Abstract Aqueous zinc sulfur batteries promise low−cost and safe grid−scale energy storage, but face challenges due to sluggish interfacial Zn2+ transfer and H2O−induced ZnS disproportionation reactions at the interface of sulfur positive electrode. Here, we develop a hybrid electrolyte by introducing ZnI2 and organic N,N−dimethylformamide cosolvent, in which iodide species contribute to catalytic oxidation of ZnS, while N,N−dimethylformamide cosolvent can effectively facilitate sulfur reduction reaction. By combining operando Raman spectroscopy with non−destructive electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and theoretical calculations/simulations, it demonstrates that N,N−dimethylformamide molecules preferentially adsorb on sulfur electrode surface and strongly interact with Zn2+, thereby reconstructing interfacial electric double layer with H2O−poor inner Helmholtz plane and Zn2+−rich outer Helmholtz plane, which not only favors interfacial Zn2+ transfer to promote sulfur conversion reaction, but also suppresses H2O−induced side reactions. Through an additional constant voltage charge procedure to avoid I−/I3− redox shuttle, the assembled Zn||S batteries can exhibit a voltage hysteresis of 0.326 V and a long−term cycling stability with a capacity fading of 0.034% per cycle after 1000 cycles at 2 C (i.e., 3.34 A g−1), even enabling a high areal capacity of 7.68 mAh cm−2 and a stable low−temperature performance with a specific capacity of 500 mAh g−1 at −10 °C.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-64974-y

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