In-depth analysis of coulombic efficiency of zinc-air secondary batteries

Abstract

In this study, the side reactions that greatly affect the coulombic efficiency of a zinc-air secondary battery are quantitatively analyzed on the basis of the charging-discharging characteristics, open circuit self-discharge characteristics, and a series of calculations. In particular, the charge amounts consumed by water electrolysis and self-discharge during charging process are separately determined so that the charging efficiency (the amount of charge used in actual charging with respect to the applied charge amount) can be estimated, which would enable systematic understanding of the cause of coulombic efficiency degradation. Using two cells with different charging overvoltages, the validity of the proposed method can be assessed.