Phosphorous electrolyte additives for aqueous batteries

An aqueous electrolyte comprising at least one electrolyte additive of Formula I:

• or a salt thereof, anion thereof, hydrolytic product thereof, or electrochemical reduction product thereof,
• wherein
• R1 is C6-10aryl optionally substituted with at least one R7;
• R2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, —OH, C1-20alkoxy, —C1-6alkyl-C(O)OR6, hydroxyC1-6alkyl, C6-10aryl, C6-10arylC1-6alkyl, C6-10aryloxy, and C6-10arylC1-6alkoxy, wherein the C6-10aryl, either alone or as part of another group, is optionally substituted with at least one R7;
• and
• R3 is hydrogen, C1-6alkyl, hydroxyC1-6alkyl, C6-10aryl, or C6-10arylC1-6alkyl, wherein the C6-10aryl or the C6-10arylC1-6alkyl is optionally substituted with at least one R7;
• R6 is hydrogen or C1-6alkyl;
• R7 is independently selected from the group consisting of C1-6alkyl, —OH, and hydroxyC1-6alkyl, and wherein R7 is not further substituted;
• wherein the aqueous electrolyte optionally further comprises an ion selected from the group consisting of Na+, K+, Ca2+, Zn2+, a quaternary ammonium cation, and combinations thereof, and
• wherein the aqueous electrolyte has a pH greater than about 7;
• wherein the at least one electrolyte additive is present in a solvent in the aqueous electrolyte, wherein water is the only solvent, at a concentration equal to, or greater than, 0.001 weight percent (wt %) to less than 5 wt %.