Superior electrochemical performance of aqueous zinc-ion battery achieved by pairing a Nickel-based electrode prepared through one-step electrodeposition with manganese-rich electrolyte

The secondary aqueous zinc-ion batteries were one of the promising candidates for the large-scale energy storage applications. In this study, a novel design of a binary zinc-ion battery combining a nickel-based cathode prepared through electrodeposition and a manganese-rich electrolyte was proposed and proved with superior electrochemical performances. By adjusting the treating condition of the electrodeposition process, the optimized electrode obtained from 0.03 M NiSO₄ electrolyte for 30 s had enabled the battery exhibiting an extremely high capacity (4380.8 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.3 A g⁻¹) and a stable cycling performance (more than 6000 cycle at 5A g⁻¹). The large specific surface area and pore volume of the deposits was beneficial to avoid the accumulation of by-products during cycling, ensuring the high electrochemical reversibility and activity of the electrode in long-term cycling. This work provided new ideas for the design of the secondary aqueous zinc-ion batteries.