A Pre-Test and Decoupled Charge–Discharge Two-Tier Protocol for Rapid Assessing Aqueous Battery Designs

Aqueous batteries have garnered significant attention for static energy storage applications. However, current studies often face the dilemma of long time requirements during cycling tests at low current densities and lack of effective tests at high current densities. This may further hinder the effective referencing and misguide future research efforts. To address this, we propose a two-tier evaluation framework comprising a pretest and a decoupled charge–discharge method. This approach effectively assesses battery designs by evaluating self-discharge rates and analyzing Coulombic efficiency to distinguish performance decay. Additionally, it facilitates the evaluation of auxiliary battery components, aiding in the transition from laboratory research to practical applications. Our fundamental framework provides a time-efficient method for evaluating the effectiveness of aqueous battery designs, enhancing the battery design reliability.