Ruan Hulong, Li Zeyuan, Jia Qixing, Wang Junjun, Chen Lina
College of Physics and Materials Science, Changji University, Changji 831100, China.
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China.
Nanomaterials (Basel). 2025 Jan 26;15(3):194. doi: 10.3390/nano15030194.
Aqueous zinc batteries, mainly including Zn-ion batteries (ZIBs) and Zn-air batteries (ZABs), are promising energy storage systems, but challenges exist at their current stage. For instance, the zinc anode in aqueous electrolyte is impacted by anodic dendrites, hydrogen and oxygen precipitation, and some other harmful side reactions, which severely affect the battery's lifespan. As for traditional cathode materials in ZIBs, low electrical conductivity, slow Zn ion migration, and easy collapse of the crystal structure during ion embedding and migration bring challenges. Also, the slower critical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), for example, in ZABs shows unsatisfactory results. All these issues greatly hindered the development of zinc batteries. Aerogel materials, characterized by their high specific surface area, unique open-pore structure formed by nanoporous structures, and excellent physicochemical properties, have a positive role in cathode modification, electrode protection, and catalytic reactions in zinc batteries. This manuscript provides a systematic review of aerogel materials, highlighting advancements in their preparation and application for zinc batteries, aiming to promote the future progress and development of aerogel nanomaterials and zinc batteries.
水系锌电池主要包括锌离子电池（ZIBs）和锌空气电池（ZABs），是很有前景的储能系统，但目前仍面临挑战。例如，水系电解质中的锌阳极会受到阳极枝晶、氢氧析出以及其他一些有害副反应的影响，这严重影响了电池的寿命。对于ZIBs中的传统阴极材料，低电导率、锌离子迁移缓慢以及在离子嵌入和迁移过程中晶体结构容易坍塌都带来了挑战。此外，例如在ZABs中较慢的关键氧还原反应（ORR）表现也不尽人意。所有这些问题都极大地阻碍了锌电池的发展。气凝胶材料具有高比表面积、由纳米多孔结构形成的独特开孔结构以及优异的物理化学性质，在锌电池的阴极改性、电极保护和催化反应中具有积极作用。本文对气凝胶材料进行了系统综述，重点介绍了其在锌电池制备和应用方面的进展，旨在推动气凝胶纳米材料和锌电池未来的进步与发展。
