A smelting-rolling strategy for ZnIn bulk phase alloy anodes

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Reversibility and stability are crucial for zinc (Zn) metal anodes in aqueous Zn-ion batteries.
• Uncontrolled Zn stripping/plating and side reactions limit anode performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a stable and reversible Zn metal anode for aqueous Zn-ion batteries.
• To address Zn dendrite growth and side reactions through alloy design.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a bulk phase ZnIn alloy anode using a smelting-rolling process.
• Characterization of the alloy's structure and electrochemical performance.
• Assembly and testing of ZnIn//NH4V4O10 batteries.

Main Results:

• The ZnIn alloy anode demonstrated uniform Zn deposition and improved Zn stripping.
• Stable Zn stripping/plating was achieved for over 2500 hours with reduced voltage hysteresis.
• The ZnIn//NH4V4O10 battery exhibited 96.44% capacity retention after 1000 cycles.

Conclusions:

• The bulk phase ZnIn alloy effectively regulates Zn nucleation, suppressing dendrite growth and side reactions.
• This alloy design offers a promising strategy for developing high-performance aqueous Zn-ion batteries.
• The study provides a fundamental solution to critical issues in Zn anode technology.