Abstract Matching the capacity of the anode and cathode is essential for maximizing electrochemical cell performance. This study presents two strategies to balance the electrode utilization in zinc ion supercapacitors, by decreasing dendritic loss in the zinc anode while increasing the capacity of the activated carbon cathode. The anode current collector was modified with copper nanoparticles to direct zinc plating orientation and minimize dendrite formation, improving the Coulombic efficiency and cycle life. The cathode was activated by an electrolyte reaction to increase its porosity and gravimetric capacity. The full cell delivered a specific energy of 192 ± 0.56 Wh kg−1at a specific power of 1.4 kW kg−1, maintaining 84% capacity after 50,000 full charge-discharge cycles up to 2 V. With a cumulative capacity of 19.8 Ah cm−2surpassing zinc ion batteries, this device design is particularly promising for high-endurance applications, including un-interruptible power supplies and energy-harvesting systems that demand frequent cycling. 
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                            Copper Foil Substrate Enables Planar Indium Plating for Ultrahigh‐Efficiency and Long‐Lifespan Aqueous Trivalent Metal Batteries
                        
                    
    
            Abstract Aqueous trivalent metal batteries represent a compelling candidate for energy storage due to the intriguing three‐electron transfer reaction and the distinct properties of trivalent cations. However, little research progress has been achieved with trivalent batteries due to the inappropriate redox potentials and drastic ion hydrolysis side reactions. Herein, the appealing yet underrepresented trivalent indium is selected as an advanced metal choice and the crucial effect of substrate on its plating mechanism is revealed. When copper foil is used, an indiophilic indium‐copper alloy interface can be formed in situ upon plating, exhibiting favorable binding energies and low diffusion energy barriers for indium atoms. Consequently, a planar, smooth, and dense indium metal layer is uniformly deposited on the copper substrate, leading to outstanding plating efficiency (99.8–99.9%) and an exceedingly long lifespan (6.4–7.4 months). The plated indium anode is further paired with a high‐mass‐loading Prussian blue cathode (2 mAh cm−2), and the full cell (negative/positive electrode capacity, N/P = 2.5) delivers an excellent cycling life of 1000 cycles with 72% retention. This work represents a significant advancement in the development of high‐performance trivalent metal batteries. 
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                            - Award ID(s):
- 2349168
- PAR ID:
- 10578833
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Advanced Functional Materials
- Volume:
- 34
- Issue:
- 44
- ISSN:
- 1616-301X
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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