| Abstract Scope |
Aqueous zinc batteries are attractive for safe and low-cost energy storage, yet their performance is limited by dendritic Zn growth, hydrogen evolution, and interfacial instability. This talk focuses on the water-in-salt electrolyte (WiSE) concept as a promising strategy to address these challenges. By dramatically increasing salt concentration, WiSE systems fundamentally alter the Zn2+ solvation structure, reduce free water activity, and expand the electrochemical stability window. These changes suppress parasitic reactions and enable more uniform Zn deposition. The discussion highlights how WiSE electrolytes promote stable interphases and improve reversibility of Zn metal anodes. Finally, the talk outlines current limitations of WiSE systems, including cost, viscosity, and ion transport constraints, and discusses future directions for optimizing electrolyte design toward practical zinc battery applications. |