Characterizing Zinc Metal Electrodeposition and Alloying Behavior for Aqueous Batteries

Aqueous zinc metal batteries (ZMBs) offer a promising solution for safe, cost-effective grid-scale energy storage. However, ZMBs suffer from poor zinc reversibility, often caused by side reactions with the electrolyte, hydrogen evolution, and irregular plating morphology, which results in electrochemically inactive zinc. In this study, I investigate the critical link between zinc plating morphology and ZMB performance.
To understand zinc morphology, I focus on elucidating electrodeposition mechanisms, with an emphasis on initial plating behavior. Using a combined electrochemical and structural approach, I employ operando X-ray diffraction (XRD) to isolate and analyze zinc’s electrodeposition dynamics. This technique enables me to identify key early-stage deposition characteristics, such as underpotential deposition and alloying with the substrate. Additionally, I explore how different electrolytes and substrates influence fundamental electrodeposition behavior by altering zinc-ion interactions with both the surface and solution. My findings reveal how surface interactions impact alloying and underpotential deposition, shaping overall deposition morphology.
This work addresses a key theme in ZMB research: the relationship between zinc morphology and battery performance. While this connection is well recognized, the mechanisms driving these morphological changes have been difficult to isolate. The characterization techniques employed here provide deeper insights into zinc electrodeposition, advancing the development of ZMBs for beyond-lithium energy storage.