Effects of Anionic Surfactant Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate on Electrochemical Performances of Zinc-Air Flow Batteries

Zinc-air batteries are promising for various energy application. Nonetheless, low efficiency of zinc utilization limited their broad applicability. This work aims at examining the effects of anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) ranging from 0 - 1 mM in 7 M KOH aqueous solution electrolyte on the discharge performance of zinc-air flow batteries. The effects on electrochemical properties and discharge performances of the batteries were investigated. Cyclic voltammograms revealed that SDS effectively inhibited the anode passivation and promoted zinc dissolution. Besides, galvanostatic discharge results indicated that the introduction of SDS could enhance discharge capacity and energy density of the batteries. The battery with electrolyte containing 0.2 mM SDS exhibited the highest discharge capacity of 360 mAh/g (24% improvement) and energy density of 385 mWh/g (16% improvement).