Bioactive small-molecule-based aqueous zinc-organic battery enables long-life and fast-charge performance

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have become a current research hotspot owing to their high security and cost-effectiveness. However, the dissolution of electrode materials, low intrinsic conductivity, slow reaction kinetics seriously hinder practical application. Herein, sulfur-containing organic small molecule (seriniquinone, SQ), which plays significant role in melanoma treatment, was synthesized used as electrodes for AZIBs. To address problem well enhance electrical SQ further optimized by conductive carbon modification prepare SQ/CMK-3 composite electrodes. In Zn‖SQ/CMK-3 half-battery, cathode delivered an initial discharge capacity 234.4 mA h g−1 at 100 maintained 100.2 after ultra-long cycles (5000) density 1 A g−1. Moreover, zinc storage mechanism with four Zn2+ between two molecules proposed based on functional theory calculation confirmed various ex-situ measurements. Assembled both anode cathode, all-organic symmetric battery not only displayed reversible 110.9 but also possessed stable retention rate 82.4% 2500 average coulombic efficiency 99.5%.