Aqueous Zn-I2 Pouch Cells (0.2-1.0 Ah), CAZnI2PC

Scaling aqueous zinc-iodine (Zn-I2) pouch cells into the practical 0.2-1.0 Ah regime requires precise co-design of high-loading composite electrodes, advanced packaging protocols, and tailored electrolyte formulations to overcome the scaling bottlenecks inherent to large-format soft-packaged cells.

The typical Ah-Level Pouch Cell Architecture & Component Design: (1) Cathode (AC@I2 Composite): To achieve practical cell-level energy densities (>80 Wh/kg, iodine cathodes must operate at high areal capacities (~ 10 mAh/cm2, corresponding to ~ 30-45 mg/cm2 of active iodine or thicker dry-processed composites). (2) Zinc Anode: Typically utilizes high-purity zinc foil (~ 50-100 um) or 3D porous zinc foam current collectors. (3) Electrolyte & Separator: Electrolyte Composition: Standard aqueous formulations utilize 2M ZnSO4 (often paired with MnSO4 additives to suppress cathode dissolution) or water-in-salt electrolytes (WISE) to modify the primary zinc solvation shell and lower free water activity. Separator: Hydrophilic glass-fiber separators or engineered ion-conducting hydrogel interphases that facilitate rapid Zn^{2+} transport while mechanically blocking short circuits.

References:

1. Z. Zhang, et al. Ultralong Cycle Life and High Rate of Zn‖I2 Battery Enabled by MBene-Hosted I2 Cathode, Adv. Funct. Mater., 2024, 34, 2310294.
2. M. Wang, et al. Bidentate Coordination Structure Facilitates High-Voltage and High-Utilization Aqueous Zn−I2 Batteries, Angew Chem. Int. Ed., 2024, 63, e202404784.