Ambient temperature, zinc ion-conducting, binary molten electrolyte based on acetamide and zinc perchlorate: Application in rechargeable zinc batteries

N S Venkata Narayanan; B V Ashokraj; S Sampath

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2009.10.034

Ambient temperature, zinc ion-conducting, binary molten electrolyte based on acetamide and zinc perchlorate: Application in rechargeable zinc batteries

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2010 Feb 15;342(2):505-12. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2009.10.034. Epub 2009 Oct 21.

Authors

N S Venkata Narayanan¹, B V Ashokraj, S Sampath

Affiliation

¹ Department of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012, India.

PMID: 19914628
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2009.10.034

Abstract

Binary room temperature molten electrolytes based on acetamide and zinc perchlorate have been prepared and characterized. The electrolytes are found to be highly zinc ion-conducting with very favorable physicochemical and electrochemical characteristics. Raman and infrared spectroscopic studies reveal the presence of large free-ion concentration in the molten liquid. This is corroborated by the high conductivity observed under ambient conditions. Rechargeable zinc batteries assembled using gamma-MnO(2) as the cathode and Zn as the anode with the molten electrolyte show high discharge capacities over several cycles, indicating excellent reversibility. This unique class of acetamide-based, room temperature molten liquids may become viable and green alternative electrolytes for rechargeable zinc-based secondary batteries.