Issue 12, 2022

A two-electron transfer mechanism of the Zn-doped δ-MnO2 cathode toward aqueous Zn-ion batteries with ultrahigh capacity

Abstract

Neutral aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) have attracted considerable attention due to their safe and green features. As one typical cathode, birnessite MnO2 (δ-MnO2) suffers from low conductivity and structural instability, and its energy storage mechanism is still not well established yet. Herein, we developed a Zn-doped δ-MnO2 material via a facile and effective microwave-assisted method for the cathode in aqueous ZIBs. By incorporating Zn to modify the microstructure and promote reaction kinetics, the Zn-doped δ-MnO2 electrode demonstrates significantly enhanced electrochemical performance with an ultrahigh reversible capacity of 455 mA h g−1 and excellent specific energy of 628 W h kg−1. In addition, the successive insertion of H+ and Zn2+ and deep two-electron transfer routes are revealed systematically by ex situ experiments. The two-electron transfer route (Mn4+/Mn3+ and Mn3+/Mn2+) mechanism of Zn-doped δ-MnO2 electrodes explains the exceedingly high capacity and opens new opportunities to develop high-energy aqueous ZIBs.

Graphical abstract: A two-electron transfer mechanism of the Zn-doped δ-MnO2 cathode toward aqueous Zn-ion batteries with ultrahigh capacity

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
22 Dec 2021
Accepted
14 Feb 2022
First published
14 Feb 2022

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2022,10, 6762-6771

Author version available

A two-electron transfer mechanism of the Zn-doped δ-MnO2 cathode toward aqueous Zn-ion batteries with ultrahigh capacity

W. Zhao, J. Fee, H. Khanna, S. March, N. Nisly, S. J. B. Rubio, C. Cui, Z. Li and S. L. Suib, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2022, 10, 6762 DOI: 10.1039/D1TA10864F

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