Zinc Electrodes: The Silent Cornerstone of the Green Energy Landscape

2025-06-23

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Early in the morning, when you press the TV remote control, a familiar touch comes to your 

fingertips. Behind this seemingly simple action, what drives the electronic signals across the 

circuit is probably an unassuming zinc electrode battery. From the power source in the toy cars 

of our childhood to the silent backup power system in the corners of the city, zinc electrodes 

have become an indispensable “cornerstone” in the world of electrochemistry with their 

unique charm.


Why Zinc? -- Zinc is a natural electrode material.


The abundance of zinc in the earth's crust and the maturity and stability of its mining and smelting 

technology give it an unrivaled cost advantage. Zinc also excels in electrochemical properties:


Excellent electrochemical activity: Zinc has a standard electrode potential of approximately -0.76V

 (relative to a standard hydrogen electrode), making it an ideal negative electrode material for battery 

applications, capable of delivering high voltages and energy.


High Theoretical Specific Capacity: A theoretical specific capacity of up to 820 mAh/g means that a 

large charge can be stored and released per unit mass of zinc.


Environmentally friendly: Zinc itself has low toxicity and its compounds are relatively easy to dispose 

of or recycle, meeting increasingly stringent environmental requirements.


Vertical and horizontal applications - the wide world of zinc electrodes


The “backbone” of primary batteries:


Zinc-manganese batteries: The zinc negative electrode is at the heart of both everyday alkaline zinc-manganese 

batteries (alkaline batteries) and traditional zinc-carbon batteries. With low price, stable performance and wide 

applicability, they occupy the absolute mainstream of the dry battery market.


Zinc air batteries: These batteries utilize oxygen in the air as the positive reactant and zinc as the negative 

electrode. Its theoretical energy density is extremely high (up to several times that of lithium-ion batteries),

 and it shows great potential in the field of hearing aids, power supply for remote IoT devices, and large-scale 

stationary energy storage, especially its “mechanical charging” (replacement of zinc electrodes) feature, which 

greatly shortens the “charging” time. "time.


Zinc-silver batteries: Although the cost is higher, but its excellent multiplier performance and stable voltage 

platform, so that in aerospace, torpedoes and other special areas requiring high power, high reliability occupy a place.


The “potential new star” of secondary batteries:


Zinc ion battery: This is one of the current hot spots in energy storage research. It utilizes the reversible 

deposition/dissolution of zinc ions (Zn²⁺) at the negative electrode and embedding/de-embedding of zinc 

ions in the positive electrode material in an aqueous electrolyte to achieve charging and discharging. Its core

 advantages are:


Intrinsically safe: the use of non-flammable aqueous electrolyte completely avoids the risk of combustion and 

explosion of organic electrolyte batteries.


Low cost: Zinc is abundant and the electrolyte system is simple.


Eco-friendly and easy to recycle: The material system has a low environmental burden.


Despite the challenges of zinc dendrite growth and cycle life enhancement, zinc ion batteries have a promising 

future in medium and large-scale energy storage (e.g., grid peaking, renewable energy support) and specific 

power applications.


The “invisible guardian” of electrochemical protection:


Cathodic protection: Zinc (or zinc alloy) sacrificial anode is widely used in the anti-corrosion engineering of ships, 

offshore platforms, underground pipelines and other steel facilities. It dissolves through its own priority corrosion, 

releasing electrons to protect the steel body from electrochemical corrosion, is to extend the life of the facility, the

 key technology to ensure safety.


The “surface artist” of the electroplating industry:


Zinc plating: Zinc electrode as an anode, dissolved under the action of the current to provide zinc ions, so that the 

zinc ions in the steel and other substrates (cathode) surface deposition, the formation of bright, dense, 

corrosion-resistant zinc plating layer, is the automotive, construction, hardware, and other industries, an 

important anti-corrosion treatment process.


Challenges and breakthroughs - the evolution of zinc electrodes


Zinc electrodes are not perfect and face key challenges in their development:


Zinc dendrites: In rechargeable zinc batteries, uneven deposition of zinc can lead to the formation of dendritic 

crystals (dendrites), which can puncture the diaphragm and lead to short circuits, posing a serious threat to 

battery safety and life.


Hydrogen precipitation: Zinc in acidic or neutral aqueous solutions may undergo a hydrogen precipitation side 

reaction, depleting the active material and reducing the Coulombic efficiency.


Deformation and passivation: Zinc electrodes may change shape (deformation) or form a dense passivation 

layer on the surface during charging and discharging cycles, which affects the reactivity and cycle stability.


Looking to the future: the zinc promise of green kinetic energy


Zinc electrode technology is on the verge of a breakthrough as research progresses:


Electrolyte engineering: Developing high-concentration “water-in-salt” electrolytes, adding special additives, and 

designing gel/solid electrolytes to effectively inhibit dendrites and side reactions.


Electrode structure design: Construct 3D porous collector, surface modification, composite anode materials, etc. 

to guide the uniform deposition/dissolution of zinc.


Exploration of new battery systems: Zinc-bromine flow batteries, zinc-nickel batteries and other systems are being 

continuously optimized.


Under the global wave of pursuing the “dual carbon” goal, the demand for safe, low-cost and sustainable energy storage

 technology is more urgent than ever. Zinc electrode, by virtue of its resource endowment, environmental friendliness 

and unique value in many application scenarios, is gradually stepping into the center of the green energy arena from 

an obscure “cornerstone” role.


When we press the remote control, enjoy convenient communication, and rely on a secure infrastructure, we might as 

well think about the silent but crucial role played by zinc electrodes. This piece of metal hidden deep in the earth is 

being continuously given a new mission by human wisdom - from driving tiny electrons to supporting the dream of 

a grand energy transition. The future of zinc electrodes is full of exciting “zinc” possibilities.