Enabling High Reversibility of Zn anode via Interfacial Engineering Induced by Amino acid Electrolyte Additive

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) offer safety and cost benefits but face challenges with zinc anode instability.
• Water-driven side reactions cause zinc dendrites, passivation, and corrosion, hindering AZIB performance.
• Developing stable zinc anodes is crucial for the practical implementation of AZIBs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer a highly reversible zinc anode using interfacial modification.
• To investigate the role of D-Phenylalanine (DPA) as an electrolyte additive for zinc anode stabilization.
• To demonstrate enhanced zinc deposition and suppressed side reactions in aqueous electrolytes.

Main Methods:

• Interfacial engineering of the zinc anode/electrolyte interface using D-Phenylalanine (DPA).
• Analysis of DPA adsorption and solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation on the zinc anode.
• Electrochemical testing under severe conditions (20.0 mA cm⁻² and 10.0 mAh cm⁻²) to evaluate zinc plating/stripping efficiency.
• Comparative performance analysis between DPA-added and control electrolytes.

Main Results:

• DPA addition led to preferential adsorption and formation of a compact SEI layer on the zinc anode.
• Controlled and uniform zinc deposition was achieved, suppressing detrimental side reactions.
• The DPA-added electrolyte demonstrated high stability under severe testing conditions, with an average plating/stripping Coulombic efficiency of 99.37%.
• DPA-incorporated electrolytes significantly outperformed control electrolytes in stabilizing the zinc anode.

Conclusions:

• Interfacial engineering with D-Phenylalanine effectively stabilizes zinc anodes in aqueous electrolytes.
• DPA acts as a versatile additive, mitigating dendrite formation and improving Coulombic efficiency.
• This approach advances the development of stable zinc anodes for practical aqueous rechargeable zinc batteries.