Key Takeaways & Executive Findings
- •• A 3D-printed Ti-graphene-Ti (TGT) current collector extends the voltage window of aqueous zinc-ion batteries to 1.0–2.2 V by suppressing electrolyte decomposition via a surface TixOy protective layer. • The graphene layer in the TGT enhances cation adsorption and insertion/extraction kinetics, achieving a high specific capacity of 307.5 mAh g−1 and prolonged cycling life. • AZIBs with TGT current collectors exhibit stable charge/discharge performance over 400 cycles at high voltage, demonstrating excellent durability. • The study reveals that the geometric arrangement of Ti and graphene in 3D printing significantly influences the energy storage mechanism, offering new design insights for high-voltage-resistant composite current collectors.
Abstract
Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have significant promise as large-scale energy storage devices due to their high safety, low cost, and environmental friendliness. However, their application has been constrained by limited operational voltage windows. A high-voltage-resistant Ti-graphene-Ti cathode current collector (TGT) was designed and fabricated by three-dimensional (3D) printing. The surface of the TGT has a TixOy protective layer, which effectively suppresses electrolyte decomposition under high voltage conditions so that the voltage window of the battery is extended to 1.0–2.2 V without the obvious formation of by-products. Simultaneously, the graphene layer in the TGT structure significantly improves the adsorption and insertion/extraction kinetics of cations, resulting in a high specific capacity of 307.5 mAh g−1 and a prolonged cycling life of the battery. The resultant AZIBs have a stable charge/discharge performance over 400 cycles at a high voltage. Furthermore, the influence of the geometric arrangements of Ti and graphene in the 3D printing process on the energy storage mechanism was investigated and provided novel insight for the development of high-voltage-resistant composite cathode current collectors for AZIBs.
1. Introduction
Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are promising grid-scale energy storage devices because of their high safety, low cost and environment friendliness. As a critical component of AZIBs, the current collector of cathode not only collects the current generated by active materials but also impacts the voltage window, cycle stability, and safety of batteries. However, traditional Al or stainless steel current collectors are prone to corrosion in aqueous electrolytes, limiting the operating voltage range of AZIBs.
In contrast, corrosion-resistant Ti metal possesses low reactivity in electrolytes due to the presence of inert oxide layer on its surface. When employed as current collectors, Ti metal can effectively suppress the electrochemical decomposition of water under high voltage and reduce the accumulation of by-products on the cathode surface. Nevertheless, the limited specific surface area of Ti current collectors impedes their ability to effectively adsorb ions from the electrolyte. When paired with manganese oxide active materials, the dissolved Mn2+ generated from manganese oxide dissolution cannot efficiently deposit onto the cathode surface, resulting in a rapid capacity fading during electrochemical cycling process.
Compared with corrosion-resistant metal, carbon nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes or graphene, exhibit high specific surface area and unique electronic structure. As a result, they can effectively adsorb Mn2+ from the electrolyte, which inhibits the dissolution and shuttle effect of manganese oxide cathode materials, thereby significantly extending the cycle life of AZIBs. Therefore, Ti-carbon composite current collectors were researched and developed, which ingeniously combine the high corrosion resistance of Ti with the high specific surface area of carbon nanomaterials. Current research mainly focuses on basic fabrication processes and optimal Ti-carbon ratio, while usually neglecting the important factors such as spatial positioning matching and synergistic effects between the Ti and carbon nanomaterials, which directly determines the el...
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YANG Zhiqiang, YANG Hao, WANG Rui, WAN Yi, ZHANG Yan, LIU Chenhao, ZHANG Zian, LI Yuqi, WU Mingbo, HU Han, CHEN De (2025). 3D-printed Ti/graphene composite current collectors for high-voltage aqueous zinc-ion batteries. SinoTechIntel Verified Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1872-5805(NCM2026-41-03-08)
Research & Educational Purpose Only:The translations, structured abstracts, analytical annotations, and data reports provided by SinoTechIntel are intended exclusively for academic research, internal corporate R&D, and educational benchmarking. They do not constitute formal engineering, chemical safety, legal, or professional advice.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main innovation of this research?
The research introduces a 3D-printed Ti-graphene-Ti (TGT) composite current collector that extends the voltage window of aqueous zinc-ion batteries to 1.0–2.2 V, while maintaining high specific capacity and cycling stability.
How does the TGT current collector improve battery performance?
The TGT current collector combines the corrosion resistance of Ti with the high surface area of graphene. The Ti surface forms a TixOy protective layer that suppresses electrolyte decomposition at high voltages, while the graphene layer enhances cation adsorption and insertion/extraction kinetics, leading to high capacity and long cycle life.
What are the key results of the study?
The TGT-based AZIBs achieved a specific capacity of 307.5 mAh g−1 and stable performance over 400 cycles at high voltage, demonstrating the effectiveness of the composite current collector.
Why is the voltage window important for aqueous zinc-ion batteries?
A wider voltage window allows for higher energy density and better practical applicability. Traditional current collectors limit the voltage range due to corrosion and electrolyte decomposition, but the TGT design overcomes these limitations.
What is the significance of 3D printing in this context?
3D printing enables precise control over the geometric arrangement of Ti and graphene, which is crucial for optimizing the energy storage mechanism. This study provides insights into how different arrangements affect performance.
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