Single [0001]-oriented zinc metal anode enables sustainable zinc batteries

The optimization of crystalline orientation of a Zn metal substrate to expose more Zn(0002) planes has been recognized as an effective strategy in pursuit of highly reversible Zn metal anodes. However, the lattice mismatch between substrate and overgrowth crystals has hampered the epitaxial sustainability of Zn metal. Herein, we discover that the presence of crystal grains deviating from [0001] orientation within a Zn(0002) metal anode leads to the failure of epitaxial mechanism. The electrodeposited [0001]-uniaxial oriented Zn metal anodes with a single (0002) texture fundamentally eliminate the lattice mismatch and achieve ultra-sustainable homoepitaxial growth. Using high-angle angular dark-filed scanning transmission electron microscopy, we elucidate the homoepitaxial growth of the deposited Zn following the "~ABABAB~" arrangement on the Zn(0002) metal from an atomic-level perspective. Such consistently epitaxial behavior of Zn metal retards dendrite formation and enables improved cycling, even in Zn||NH₄V₄O₁₀ pouch cells, with a high capacity of 220 mAh g^-1 for over 450 cycles. The insights gained from this work on the [0001]-oriented Zn metal anode and its persistently homoepitaxial mechanism pave the way for other metal electrodes with high reversibility.