Hydrogen bond engineering in aqueous electrolytes: Strategies for cryogenic battery applications

Abstract

Zinc-based and lithium-based battery systems have been extensively utilized in modern electronic devices and automotive applications owing to their exceptional energy density-to-volume ratios. Nevertheless, these energy storage systems employing aqueous electrolytes face critical operational limitations under subzero conditions, where electrolyte crystallization induces severe ionic conductivity degradation and eventual functional failure. Current research efforts exhibit a notable gap in comprehensive mechanistic analyses addressing cryogenic performance deterioration from the perspective of hydrogen bond network disruption. This work presents a systematic review of the fundamental correlation between hydrogen bonding dynamics and phase transition behavior in aqueous media, and the consequent impacts on ion transport mechanisms. The established structure-property relationships offer valuable insights for developing advanced low-temperature aqueous electrolytes through targeted molecular engineering of hydrogen-bond interactions.