Molecularly engineered aqueous chloride batteries achieved >98% coulombic efficiency, suggesting improved capacity and stability.
Rechargeable aqueous batteries based on the chloride/chlorine (Cl − /Cl 2 ) redox couple offer high theoretical energy density but have been limited by the volatility/disproportionation of chlorine gas and its inherently poor electrochemical reversibility. Previous approaches have relied on operational constraints to achieve desirable efficiency—such as low temperatures (<−40 °C) and/or high charge/discharge rates (>5C)—to mitigate chlorine evolution, but these strategies restrict areal capacity to <1 mAh cm −2 and compromise practical viability. Here, we report a molecularly engineered Cl − /Cl 2 redox system stabilized by quaternary ammonium complexation in an acidic chloride electrolyte, enabling both high areal capacity (7 mAh cm −2 ) and long charge/discharge durations (∼7 h) with >98% coulombic efficiency. The optimized tetraamylammonium chloride (TAACl) forms phase‐separated ionic liquid complexes (TAACl 3 and TAACl 5 ) with electrochemically generated Cl 2 , effectively suppressing chlorine volatilization, diffusion, and disproportionation. Paired with a MoO 3 anode that reversibly stores protons via intercalation, the MoO 3 ‐TAACl full battery demonstrates robust performance across a wide temperature range (−45 to 40 °C). At 25 °C, the battery retains >99% coulombic efficiency over 3000 cycles and maintains excellent cycling stability (>1000 cycles) even at 40 °C. Electrolyte optimization with high‐concentration tetramethylammonium chloride (TMACl) and H 3 PO 4 further improves cycle life by enhancing redox kinetics and suppressing side reactions.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Ma et al. (2025) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: