Advanced Zinc Anode with Nitrogen-Doping Interface Induced by Plasma Surface Treatment

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) offer cost-effective and safe grid-scale energy storage.
• Zinc dendrite formation and side reactions limit the cycle life of ZIBs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a stable, dendrite-free zinc metal anode for aqueous ZIBs.
• To enhance the interface behavior and electrochemical performance of zinc anodes.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of plasma-induced nitrogen-doped zinc (N-Zn) foil.
• Electrochemical testing of N-Zn anode in symmetric cells and full cells (Zn/MnO2).
• Analysis of nucleation sites and surface kinetics.

Main Results:

• N-Zn anode exhibited low overpotential (23 mV at 1 mA cm⁻²) and extended cycling stability (>3000 h at 1 mA cm⁻²).
• Demonstrated dendrite-free zinc electrodeposition due to uniform nucleation sites.
• Full Zn/MnO2 battery showed excellent capacity stability for 2000 cycles at 1 A g⁻¹.

Conclusions:

• Plasma-induced nitrogen doping effectively homogenizes zinc electrodeposition.
• N-Zn foil provides a promising interface engineering strategy for ultra-stable zinc metal anodes.
• This approach advances the development of practical aqueous ZIBs for energy storage.