Outer Sphere Electron Transfer Enabling High-Voltage Aqueous Electrolytes

Aqueous electrolytes with a low voltage window (1.23 V) and prone side reactions, such as hydrogen evolution reaction and cathode dissolution, compromise the advantages of high safety and low cost of aqueous metal-ion batteries. Herein, introducing catechol (CAT) into the aqueous electrolyte, an outer sphere electron transfer mechanism is initiated to inhibit the water reactivity, achieving an electrochemical window of 3.24 V. In a typical Zn-ion battery, the outer sphere electrons jump from CAT to Zn2+-H2O at a geometrically favorable situation and between the solvation molecules without breaking or forming chemical bonds as that of the inner sphere electron transfers. The excited state π–π stacking further leads to the outer sphere electron transfer occurring at the electrolyte/electrode interface. This high-voltage electrolyte allows achieving an operating voltage two times higher than that of the usual aqueous electrolytes and provides almost the highest energy density and power density for the V2O5-based aqueous Zn-ion full batteries. The Zn//Zn symmetric battery delivers a 4000 h lifespan, and the Zn//V2O5 full battery achieves a ∼380 W h kg–1 energy density and a 92% capacity retention after 3000 cycles at 1 A g–1 and a 2.4 V output voltage. This outer sphere electron transfer strategy paves the way for designing high-voltage aqueous electrolytes.