Zinc metal anodes



















Zinc Metal Anode

  Zinc Metal anodes are sacrificial anodes used to prevent corrosion by cathode protection. Zinc anodes are also galvanic ones, while other galvanic ones are made of aluminum or magnesium. The protective properties of zinc anodes are due to a more substantial harmful reduction potential than that of the metal being protected. The oxidizing agent that corrodes the metal oxidizes the zinc anode, not the protected metal structure, so the system can be prevented from rusting. This material is a sacrificial anode that emits electrons and slowly corrodes the anode instead of the actual metal with a less negative charge.

Why is Zinc Metal used?

Zinc is a highly active metal that can be sacrificed, making it the best choice for sacrificial anodes. Zinc anodes are suitable for saltwater. Marine applications such as hull, tank, rudder, and pier are most commonly used. It is also widely used for underground tanks and plumbing.

Zinc Metal Anode Description

Zinc anodes utilize alloys' potential, capacity, and properties to protect metal surfaces from corrosion. When immersed in water, the zinc anode has a reduction potential of -1.05 volts compared to the reference electrode. When the anode of zinc is brought close to other metals with high reduction potential, the other metals become electrochemical cathodes. When the oxidizer reproaches the metal cover, electrons stream through the design and release the zinc anode, not the shielded metal.

Applications

Anodes are often fixed as zinc metal in these systems, so most studies lack a suitable cathode for reacting with zinc ions. Therefore, research on cathodes suitable for intercalation has been actively conducted, and some of them have shown excellent results. However, many studies tend to overlook the meaning of zinc metal anodes. In practice, the anode is the key to determining the energy density of the entire battery. You strive to clear light on the significance of zinc metal negative electrodes. This section will briefly explain the advantages and disadvantages of zinc in weakly acidic aqueous environments, outline recent efforts to improve the performance of zinc metals and extract important lessons for future research efforts.

Advantages

  • Like other galvanic anodes, zinc anodes have the following benefits:
  • External Power Supply Do Not
  • Easy to set up
  • Low voltage
  • Low maintenance
  • Have a low risk of overprotection

Disadvantages

  • Not available in high-resistance environments
  • Require electrical insulation from other structures
  • Current-capacity limitation
  • Heavy
  • Have the potential to block the flow of water
 

Closing Lines about Zinc metal

Compared to many studies on ZIB positive electrode materials, studies on improving the electrochemical performance of zinc metal negative electrodes are still in the early stages. Current zinc electrode problems are low cycle performance and Coulomb efficiency (CE) due to dendrite growth, self-corrosion, and irreversible by-products formation. Several practical strategies have been developed recently, such as reforming the interface between the negative electrode and the electrolyte, designing the structure of the negative zinc electrode, and adopting new separators and electrolytes to solve the essential drawbacks of zinc metal negative electrodes in mild aqueous electrolytes. This analysis emphasizes current advancements in zinc anodes and seeks to outline prospects for designing high-performance zinc metal anodes in aqueous ZIBs.