Reconstructed NiCo Alloy Enables High-Rate Ni-Zn Microbattery with High Capacity

Miniaturized powering devices with both sufficient capacity as well as fast charging capability are anticipated to support microelectronics with multi-functions. However, most reported miniaturized energy storage devices only display limited performances around capacity or rate performance, and it remains challenging to develop high-rate microdevices with large capacities. Herein, a reconstructed NiCo alloy is proposed as a promising microcathode for a Ni-Zn microbattery with a high-rate performance and large capacity. With the reconstructed layer compactly adhered on the metal substrate, the activated NiCo alloy demonstrates an excellent conductivity close to metals. Meanwhile, the abundant alloying defect contributes to a relatively higher reconstruction depth up to 20 nm. Both the superior electron transport and the higher reaction depth facilitate the simultaneous excellent performance in the reaction rate and capacity. As a consequence, the microcathode achieves a large capacity up to 1.51 mAh cm(-2), as well as an excellent rate performance with a capacity retention of 82.9% when the current density is expanded to 100 mA cm(-2). More surprisingly, such excellent performance can shift towards the full Ni-Zn microbattery, and the fast-charging capability based on large capacity can stably maintain 7000 cycles. This unique strategy of reconstructed NiCo alloy microcathode provides a new direction for the construction of high-performance output units.

Automated summary

In this study, a reconstructed NiCo alloy microcathode is proposed for a Ni-Zn microbattery, which exhibits excellent performance in high-rate charging and large capacity. The compactly adhered reconstructed layer on the metal substrate enhances the conductivity and reaction depth of the alloy, leading to superior performance in reaction rate and capacity. The microcathode achieves a large capacity of 1.51 mAh cm(-2) and a capacity retention of 82.9% at a current density of 100 mA cm(-2). Furthermore, the excellent performance can be extended to the full Ni-Zn microbattery, maintaining stable fast-charging capability for 7000 cycles. This reconstructed NiCo alloy microcathode provides a new direction for the construction of high-performance output units.