Electrolyte Modulation Strategies for High Performance Zinc Batteries

With high safety and low-cost features, aqueous zinc batteries have become the promising rechargeable battery technology for future. Recent research works reached a deep understanding on the underlying electrolyte chemistry in Zn batteries. This review aims to put forward the challenges that the aqueous electrolyte is facing, which include low voltage window, multifarious irreversible reactions, and low energy density. The innovative electrolyte modulation strategies, such as hybrid/concentrated solution, gel polymer electrolyte (hydrogel electrolyte), eutectic mixture, electrolyte additives, towards better zinc batteries performance are summarized. The conclusion and outlook are introduced to provide guidance for smart design of electrolyte for advanced Zn batteries.