Zinc Metal Energy Storage Devices under Extreme Conditions of Low Temperatures
Fuyun Li, Xianluo Hu
Abstract
Abstract Zinc‐based energy storage devices have received extensive attention because of their low‐cost and high‐safety characteristics. Numerous breakthroughs have been made in this field in recent years. Some special applications, such as polar inspections, oil exploration, high‐altitude drones, aerospace, and cold regions, place higher requirements on the performance of zinc‐based energy storage devices under extreme conditions of low temperatures. However, aqueous electrolytes will freeze at sub‐zero temperatures, resulting in device failure. Besides, the sluggish kinetics of the electrodes at low temperatures limits their capacity retention and rate performance. During the past several years, considerable efforts have been devoted to circumventing these problems. In this review, we summarize the recent progress on zinc metal energy storage devices under extreme conditions of low temperatures. Three aspects including the design of anti‐freezing electrolytes, low‐temperature‐resistant cathode materials, and zinc anodes are discussed. Finally, a perspective on this field is summarized to guide future researches.