Novel Alkaline Zn/Na0.44MnO₂ Dual-Ion Battery with a High Capacity and Long Cycle Lifespan

A rechargeable aqueous Zn/Mn battery is a promising device for large-scale energy storage because of its abundant resources, low cost, and high safety. However, its application is plagued by a poor life cycle because of the electrochemical instability of MnO 2 in aqueous electrolytes. Here, an alkaline Zn–Na 0.44 MnO 2 dual-ion battery (denoted AZMDIB) is developed for the first time using Na 0.44 MnO 2 as the cathode, a zinc metal sheet as the anode, and a 6 M NaOH aqueous solution as the electrolyte. When the discharge cutoff voltage is lowered to 0.3 V (vs Zn/Zn 2+ ), the Na 0.44 MnO 2 cathode delivers a high capacity of 345.5 mA h g –1 but with a poor cycling performance. The charge–discharge mechanism and structural evolution of the Na 0.44 MnO 2 cathode in an extended potential window (1.95–0.3 V) are also explored. The Na 0.44 MnO 2 electrode experiences two different electrochemical processes: Na + ions insert/extract reversibly in the potential range of 1.95–1.1 V, and a phase transition occurs from Na 0.559 MnO 2 to Mn(OH) 2 below 1.1 V. The latter irreversible reaction is probably due to proton insertion, leading to a severe capacity fade. Nevertheless, in a narrower voltage range (2.0–1.1 V), the AZMDIB full cell exhibits a high reversible capacity (80.2 mA h g –1 at 0.5 C), high rate capability (32 mA h g –1 at 50 C), and excellent cycling stability (73% capacity retention over 1000 cycles at 10 C). Benefiting from the merits of environmental friendliness, cost-effectiveness, and high electrochemical performance, the rechargeable AZMDIB is a promising contender for grid-scale energy storage applications.