Tailoring Cold-Resilient Electrolytes Driven by Mechanisms Underlying Ice Melting for Cryogenic Zn Batteries

Abstract

The freezing and melting behaviors of aqueous solutions are strongly influenced by the presence of chemical substances, yet the criteria for screening effective chemicals remain poorly defined. This study introduces a novel perspective to designing cold-resilient electrolytes by focusing on the mechanisms underlying ice melting and identifying the key screening criteria, providing new insights into how specific chemicals can enhance the cryogenic properties of aqueous solutions. A series of theoretical and experimental tools highlight its superior low-temperature tolerance endowed by the screened chemical solute, and the pouch full cell Zn//pyrene-4,5,9,10-tetraone with cathode loading up to 7.5 mg cm⁻² delivers an impressively high capacity of 110 mAh g⁻¹ and excellent rate performance at −40 °C. This special work would enrich the design concepts and expand the paradigms of developing water-based energy storage systems in extreme environments.