Method of fabricating nanoporous Zn anodes and the applications in Zn batteries

Abstract

A method of making a free-standing nanoporous Zn is provided. The method includes compacting a predetermined amount of Zn compound precursor into a form of an anode; controlling a thickness of the Zn compound precursor to obtain desirable porosity; and reducing the Zn compound precursor in an electrochemical cell having an electrolyte at a predetermined volage against a reference electrode to obtain a nanoporous Zn anode. The nanoporous Zn includes continuous metal ligaments and pores each having a uniform width of around a few hundred nanometers. The nanoporous Zn may serve as an anode in a rechargeable Zn battery having the nanoporous Zn anode coupled to a conductive substrate, a physical block, an electrolyte, a reference electrode, and a cathode electrode, to deliver a high areal capacity and a long cycle life.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.