In Situ Buildup of Zinc Anode Protection Films with Natural Protein Additives for High-Performance Zinc Battery Cycling

Constructing Artificial Zincophilic Interphases Based on Indium-Organic Frameworks as Zinc Dendrite Constraint for Rechargeable Zinc-Air Battery

The practical application of zinc (Zn)-air batteries is largely restricted by their inferior cyclability, especially under fast-charging conditions. Uneven Zn plating and dendrite formation result in their short circuits. In this work, an artificial solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) is constructed using indium-organic frameworks (IOF) on the Zn anode. It contains a hybrid architecture that integrates chemical and morphological contributions to regulate Zn plating behaviors and constrain dendrite growth. The atomically dispersed In3+ provides zincophilic sites to tune Zn nucleation kinetics and promote preferential growth along (002) crystal facet. Meanwhile, IOF exhibits nanosheets-assembled microspheres with a well-ordered porous architecture, which promotes mass transfer and affords space for Zn electrodeposition. The influence of SEI microstructure on Zn plating/stripping behavior is further investigated and validated by the post-cycling characterizations. With IOF based SEI, Zn symmetric cells perform stable cycling for over 1750 h at 10 mA cm-2. When powering Zn-air batteries, their cycling life is extended to 800 h, which is approximately four times longer than that of pristine Zn foil.

Dual-Induced Directed Deposition Mechanism Based on Anionic Surfactants Enables Long Cycle Aqueous Zinc Ion Batteries

Aqueous zinc-ion battery has low cost, and environmental friendliness, emerging as a promising candidate for next-generation battery systems. However, it still suffers from a limited cycling life, caused by dendritic Zn growth and severe side reactions. Recent research highlights that the Zn (002) crystal plane exhibits superior anti-corrosive properties and a horizontal growth pattern. However, achieving uniform deposition on the Zn (002) plane remains a formidable challenge. Here, preferential rapid growth of the Zn (002) plane is manipulated via the dual-induced deposition effect of anionic surfactant (2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid, AMPS), achieving Zn metal anode with ultralong cycle life. AMPS can preferentially adsorb on the Zn (100) and Zn (101) crystal planes, exposing the Zn (002) plane as a nucleation site for Zn2+ ions, while the abundant presence of amide groups in AMPS can form fast ion channels, inducing rapid and uniform Zn deposition. Thus, even using 30 µm Zn foils, the symmetric cells can maintain a stable plating-stripping process over 5000 h, and Zn.

Organic Electrolyte Additives for Aqueous Zinc Ion Batteries: Progress and Outlook

Aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) are considered one of the most prospective new-generation electrochemical energy storage devices with the advantages of high specific capacity, good safety, and high economic efficiency. Nevertheless, the enduring problems of low Coulombic efficiency (CE) and inadequate cycling stability of zinc anodes, originating from dendrites, hydrogen precipitation and passivation, are closely tied to their thermodynamic instability in aqueous electrolytes, which significantly shortens the cycle life of the battery. Electrolyte additives can solve the above difficulties and are important for the advancement of affordable and reliable AZIBs. Organic electrolyte additives have attracted widespread attention due to their unique properties, however, there is a lack of systematic discussion on the performance and mechanism of action of organic electrolyte additives. In this review, a comprehensive overview of the application of organic electrolyte additives in AZIBs is presented. The role of organic electrolyte additives in stabilizing zinc anodes is described and evaluated. Finally, further potential directions and prospects for improving and directing organic electrolyte additives for AZIBs are presented.

Versatile Biopolymers for Advanced Lithium and Zinc Metal Batteries

Lithium (Li) and zinc (Zn) metals are emerging as promising anode materials for next-generation rechargeable metal batteries due to their excellent electronic conductivity and high theoretical capacities. However, issues such as uneven metal ion deposition and uncontrolled dendrite growth result in poor electrochemical stability, limited cycle life, and rapid capacity decay. Biopolymers, recognized for their abundance, cost-effectiveness, biodegradability, tunable structures, and adjustable properties, offer a compelling solution to these challenges. This review systematically and comprehensively examines biopolymers and their protective mechanisms for Li and Zn metal anodes. It begins with an overview of biopolymers, detailing key types, their structures, and properties. The review then explores recent advancements in the application of biopolymers as artificial solid electrolyte interphases, electrolyte additives, separators, and solid-state electrolytes, emphasizing how their structural properties enhance protection mechanisms and improve electrochemical performance. Finally, perspectives on current challenges and future research directions in this evolving field are provided.

Interface engineering enabled by sodium dodecyl sulfonate surfactant for stable Zn metal batteries

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries are emerging as powerful candidates for large-scale energy storage, due to their inherent high safety and high theoretical capacity. However, the inevitable hydrogen evolution and side effects of the deposition process limit their lifespan, which requires rational engineering of the interface between anode and aqueous electrolyte. In this paper, an anionic surfactant as electrolyte additive, sodium dodecyl sulfonate (SDS), is introduced to deliver highly reversible zinc metal batteries. Unlike traditional surfactants, the solvation structure is not affected by SDS, which tends to adsorb on the (002) crystal plane of Zn with the purpose of effectively limiting the water molecules adsorption. Attributed to the natural hydrophobic part of SDS, a dynamic electrostatic shielding layer and a unique hydrophobic interface are constructed on the anode. Assisted by the above merits, the adverse surface corrosion, hydrogen evolution and dendrite growth are significantly inhibited without the sacrifice in the deposition kinetics of Zn ions. As a result, the Zn||Zn symmetric batteries demonstrate an increased cycle life of 2000 h (1 mA cm-2, 1 mA h cm-2) with the presence of SDS additive. Such strategy provides a new avenue for the developing advanced electrolytes to be applied in aqueous energy storage systems.

In Situ Constructing Metal-Organic Complex Interface Layer Using Biomolecule Enabling Stabilize Zn Anode

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) are considered as a promising candidate for next-generation large-scale energy storage due to their high safety, low cost, and eco-friendliness. Unfortunately, commercialization of ZIBs is severely hindered owing to rampant dendrite growth and detrimental side reactions on the Zn anode. Herein, inspired by the metal-organic complex interphase strategy, the authors apply adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to in situ construct a multifunctional film on the metal Zn surface (marked as ATP@Zn) by a facile etching method. The ATP-induced interfacial layer enhances lipophilicity, promoting uniform Zn2+ flux and further homogenizing Zn deposition. Meanwhile, the functional interlayer improves the anticorrosion ability of the Zn anode, effectively suppressing corrosion and hydrogen evolution. Consequently, the as-prepared ATP@Zn anode in the symmetric cell exhibits eminent plating/stripping reversibility for over 2800 h at 5.0 mA cm-2 and 1 mAh cm-2. Furthermore, the assembled ATP@Zn||MnO2 full cells are investigated to evaluate practical feasibilities. This work provides an efficient and simple strategy to prepare stabilized Zn anode toward high-performance ZIBs.

Nitroxyl radical triggered the construction of a molecular protective layer for achieving durable Zn metal anodes

The issues of dendrite growth, hydrogen evolution reaction, and zinc anode corrosion have significantly hindered the widespread implementation of aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs). Herein, trace amounts of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO) additive is introduced into AZIBs to protect the zinc metal anode. Trace amounts of the TEMPO additive with nitroxyl radical can provide fast Zn2+ transport and anode protection ability by forming an adsorbed molecular layer via Zn-O bond. This interface not only provides strong interfacial compatibility and promotes dynamic transport of Zn2+, but also induces deposition of Zn2+ along Zn (002) plane. Additionally, the molecular protective layer significantly inhibits hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and corrosion. The Zn anodes achieve high Coulombic efficiency of up to 99.75 % and long-term plating/stripping of more than 1400 h at 1 mA cm-2 and 0.5 mAh cm-2. The Zn//Zn symmetric cell can operate continuously for 2500 h at a current density of 1 mA cm-2 and 1 mAh cm-2, and it can still last for nearly 1400 h even when the current density is increased to 5 mA cm-2. Furthermore, the Zn//V2O5 full cell using TEMPO/ZnSO4 electrolyte effectively maintains a maximum capacity retention rate of 53.4 % even after 1500 cycles at 5 A/g. This innovative strategy introduces trace additive with free radicals into the electrolyte, which may help to achieve large-scale, ultra-long-life, and low-cost AZIBs.