Study of cylindrical Zn/PANI secondary batteries with the electrolyte containing alkylimidazolium ionic liquid

Polyaniline doped with ZnCl2 (PANI/Zn2+) is prepared by chemical polymerization of aniline in a solution of 0.3 M aniline, 0.3 M zinc chloride, 1.0 M hydrochloric acid and 0.33 M ammonium persulfate at 5 degrees C. Polyaniline powder is mixed with acetylene black and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) to be used as positive electrodes (cathodes) in batteries. Zinc powder is mixed with alloyed powder (65 wt.% Cu, 20 wt.% Sn, 15 wt.% Zn), acetylene black and CMC to obtain the negative electrodes (anodes). The battery electrolyte comprises 1.0 M ZnCl2 and 2.0 M NH4Cl in the aqueous solution of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethyl sulfate (EMIES) (water/EMIES, 92:8 by volume). EMIES is added to the battery electrolyte to prevent the formation of Zn dendrites. The assembled cylindrical battery has an open-circuit voltage (OCV) of 1.32 V and the maximum specific capacity of the battery is 89.9 mAhg(-1) at pH 4.0. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.