Rechargeable zinc-ammonium hybrid microbattery with ultrahigh energy and power density

Summary

To achieve the miniaturization of self-powered electronic devices, microbatteries (MBs) with superior electrochemical performance are highly desired. However, it remains challenging to rationally assemble nanomaterials onto microelectrodes. In this work, a novel dual-complexant electrodeposition method was used to construct ammonium copper hexacyanoferrate (NH₄CuHCF) on porous Ni, achieving a 3D hierarchical structure. After coating with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), the organic-inorganic hybrid cathode is fabricated and employed as the cathode for rechargeable zinc-ammonium hybrid microbatteries (RZAH-MBs). Notably, the RZAH-MB delivers a high discharge plateau of ∼1.8 V and remarkable energy density of 0.44 mWh cm⁻². Moreover, the maximum areal power density and corresponding energy density retention of our RZAH-MB (80.83 mW cm⁻², 0.31 mWh cm⁻²) are among the best performances of micro-energy storage devices. Therefore, the RZAH-MB can drive an RF chips-LED system for remote control. The MB features excellent electrochemical performance and high integrability, making it a promising candidate for self-powered microelectronic devices.