Scientists at POSTECH have developed a xanthan gum-based protective movie for battery electrodes, enhancing the toughness and effectiveness of zinc-ion batteries. This development marks a significant action towards sustainable green energy services and addresses essential difficulties in energy storage technology.Xanthan gum, a substance initially gotten from plants such as cabbage and acknowledged for its carbohydrate structure, is frequently used in cosmetics as a natural barrier to maintain their skin benefits. In an ingenious improvement, xanthan gum has now been utilized to produce a protective shield for battery electrodes, instead of for the skin.Professor Changshin Jo from the Graduate Institute of Ferrous & & Eco Materials Technology and the Department of Chemical Engineering and Jooyoung Jang, a PhD candidate, from the Department of Chemical Engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), have actually crafted a protective movie by blending polymers. This movie boosts the sturdiness of battery electrodes, and their research findings have been featured in the international journal Energy Storage Materials.The Growing Importance of Energy Storage SystemsWith renewable resource sources like solar power being naturally periodic, the significance of energy storage systems (ESS) is steadily growing. ESS technology makes it possible for the capture and efficient usage of electricity when needed, making it a crucial component in utilizing renewable resource. While lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries have generally been used for ESS applications, their high cost and concerns about lithium depletion have triggered continuous research study into alternative solutions.Introducing a xanthan gum-based shield to drive uniform zinc deposition. Credit: POSTECHOne promising option to lithium is zinc (Zn), a plentiful element in the world. Zinc-ion batteries have the capability to keep considerable amounts of energy and are more secure in regards to fire dangers compared to lithium-ion batteries. Achieving a consistent deposition of zinc on the electrodes in ESS batteries is a tough job, and the repeated charging and discharging cycles tend to lead to the formation of twig-like crystals on the zinc surface, lowering the batterys longevity.Breakthrough in Battery Technology Using Xanthan GumIn this investigation, the research group utilized the biopolymer xanthan gum in mix with an ionically conductive polymer to fashion a protective movie for the battery electrode. The interaction between these 2 polymers yielded a smooth protective layer on the electrodes surface, efficiently protecting it from physical impacts and chemical contaminants.Furthermore, this protective movie was rich in oxygen functional groups, which played an important role in facilitating the consistent nucleation of zinc, leading to the effective deposition of zinc on the electrode surface area. The formation of twig-like crystals on the zinc surface area was significantly mitigated, and the film demonstrated exceptional stability even after enduring 200 days of duplicated charging and discharging.Professor Changshin Jo stated, “I hope this research will contribute to the improvement of ESS innovation for sustainable green energy production.”Reference: “Biopolymer-blended protective layer for usage in stabilizing the zinc anode in metal battery applications” by Jooyoung Jang, Jinyoung Chun and Changshin Jo, 29 August 2023, Energy Storage Materials.DOI: 10.1016/ j.ensm.2023.102948 The research study was sponsored by the National Research Foundation of Korea and the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning.
