A team led by Yoo Seung-ho, a professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Korea University, in collaboration with a team led by Professor Sung Young-eun at Seoul National University, applied panthenol (provitamin B5), an ingredient in skin moisturizers, to an electrolyte to realize a long-life, eco-friendly aqueous zinc battery.
Aqueous zinc batteries, which use water-based electrolytes, are drawing attention as safe and eco-friendly next-generation secondary batteries. However, in actual operation, zinc anode corrosion and dendrites shorten battery life and lower charge-discharge efficiency. Various additive studies have been conducted to address this, but most are toxic or pose environmental burdens, undermining the eco-friendliness of aqueous batteries.
To solve the problem, the team applied panthenol, an eco-friendly substance known as a skin moisturizer ingredient, to the electrolyte. Panthenol controls the movement of zinc ions to suppress corrosion and hydrogen evolution, and it induces uniform zinc deposition to prevent dendrite growth. In addition, a complex formed by binding with zinc ions stabilizes battery reactions, helping maintain consistent performance even during charge and discharge.
In experiments, the panthenol-based electrolyte formed a uniform and stable protective layer on the zinc surface and increased the battery's lifespan and stability. In addition, thanks to panthenol, zinc was deposited thinly and evenly, demonstrating potential use in the manufacturing process of electroplated anodes.
Yoo Seung-ho of Korea University said, "For the commercialization of aqueous zinc batteries, the key is developing an electrolyte that satisfies both eco-friendliness and performance," adding, "This study improves the lifespan and stability of zinc batteries simultaneously with a substance harmless to the human body, laying the foundation for next-generation eco-friendly battery technology."
The research findings were published online in Energy & Environmental Science on the 9th (local time).
References
Energy & Environmental Science (2025), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/D5EE05097A