Volume 59, Issue 12 pp. 4920-4924
Communication

Proton Insertion Chemistry of a Zinc–Organic Battery

Zhiwei Tie

Zhiwei Tie

Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071 P. R. China

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Luojia Liu

Luojia Liu

Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071 P. R. China

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Shenzhen Deng

Shenzhen Deng

Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071 P. R. China

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Prof. Dongbing Zhao

Prof. Dongbing Zhao

State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071 P. R. China

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Prof. Zhiqiang Niu

Corresponding Author

Prof. Zhiqiang Niu

Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071 P. R. China

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First published: 14 January 2020
Citations: 419

Dedicated to 100th anniversary of Nankai University

Graphical Abstract

Proton insertion chemistry based on organic aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) was developed in a mild electrolyte. The H+ insertion/extraction endows the battery system with enhanced electrochemical performance. Moreover, the proton insertion chemistry will broaden horizons of aqueous ZIBs.

Abstract

Proton storage in rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) is attracting extensive attention owing to the fast kinetics of H+ insertion/extraction. However, it has not been achieved in organic materials-based ZIBs with a mild electrolyte. Now, aqueous ZIBs based on diquinoxalino [2,3-a:2′,3′-c] phenazine (HATN) in a mild electrolyte are developed. Electrochemical and structural analysis confirm for the first time that such Zn–HATN batteries experience a H+ uptake/removal behavior with highly reversible structural evolution of HATN. The H+ uptake/removal endows the Zn–HATN batteries with enhanced electrochemical performance. Proton insertion chemistry will broaden the horizons of aqueous Zn–organic batteries and open up new opportunities to construct high-performance ZIBs.

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