Zinc sulfur batteries catalyzed by dichalcogenides

Background

Current battery technologies, predominantly lithium-ion, face significant drawbacks including high costs, reliance on scarce materials, and inherent safety risks like flammability. To address these limitations, researchers are exploring alternative chemistries, with aqueous zinc-sulfur batteries emerging as a promising candidate due to their potential for using low-cost, earth-abundant, and safe materials. However, the widespread adoption of zinc-sulfur batteries is hindered by their sluggish reaction kinetics and substantial overpotential, which severely restricts their useful energy output and overall efficiency.

Technology

Researchers at Stony Brook University developed a catalyst to enhance the performance of zinc-sulfur aqueous batteries by reducing the overpotential and improving the kinetics of S-ZnS conversion. It is chemically compatible with the battery's aqueous chemistry, and promotes both charge and discharge processes. Additionally, the catalyst maintains its structural integrity and oxidation state while providing a reaction site, leading to significantly reduced voltage hysteresis. It can be readily integrated into sulfur cathodes through a simple suspension filtration process.