Induced Anionic Functional Group Orientation-Assisted Stable Electrode-Electrolyte Interphases for Highly Reversible...

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Zinc anodes in aqueous zinc-ion batteries suffer from dendrite growth and side reactions, limiting cycle life and Coulombic efficiency.
• Improving functional group utilization in polymer protection layers without damaging the polymer backbone is challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simple strategy to optimize zinc anodes by controlling the orientation of functional groups in a polymer coating.
• To enhance the performance of aqueous zinc-ion batteries through improved zinc anode protection.

Main Methods:

• A modified sulfonated polyether ether ketone (H-SPEEK) coating was developed.
• The strategy focused on orienting sulfonate groups (─SO₃H) on the polymer surface.
• The effect of the H-SPEEK coating on zinc plating/stripping and battery performance was evaluated.

Main Results:

• Surface-enriched ─SO₃H groups increased ionic conductivity and homogenized Zn²⁺ flux, while inhibiting anion permeation.
• The H-SPEEK coating enabled long-term stable zinc plating/stripping.
• Enhanced cycling stability was observed in zinc batteries with different cathode materials, without adverse effects on the electrolyte or cathode.

Conclusions:

• Controlled orientation of functional groups in polymer coatings offers an efficient approach to optimize metal anodes.
• This method avoids polymer backbone degradation and amplifies functional group effectiveness.
• The H-SPEEK coating demonstrates potential for scaling up high-performance aqueous zinc-ion battery technology.