Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 25, 2025

Zinc-Sponge Battery Electrodes that Suppress Dendrites
Published on: September 29, 2020
Coupling High Hardness and Zn Affinity in Amorphous-Crystalline Diamond for Stable Zn Metal Anodes
Yuhan Chen1,2,3, Jianan Yin1,2,3, Yaqin Zhang4
1CityU-Shenzhen Futian Research Institute, Shenzhen 518045, China.
Abstract:
The highly reversible plating/stripping of Zn is plagued by dendrite growth and side reactions on metallic Zn anodes, retarding the commercial application of aqueous Zn-ion batteries. Herein, a distinctive nano dual-phase diamond (NDPD) comprised of an amorphous-crystalline heterostructure is developed to regulate Zn deposition and mechanically block dendrite growth. The rich amorphous-crystalline heterointerfaces in the NDPD endow modified Zn anodes with enhanced Zn affinity and result in homogeneous nucleation. In addition, the unparalleled hardness of the NDPD effectively overcomes the high growth stress of dendrites and mechanically impedes their proliferation. Moreover, the hydrophobic surfaces of the NDPD facilitate the desolvation of hydrate Zn2+ and prevent water-mediated side reactions. Consequently, the Zn@NDPD presents an ultrastable lifespan exceeding 3200 h at 5 mA cm-2 and 1 mAh cm-2. The practical application potential of Zn@NDPD is further demonstrated in full cells. This work exhibits the great significance of a chemical-mechanical synergistic anode modification strategy in constructing high-performance aqueous Zn-ion batteries.
Related Concept Videos
Metallic Solids
All metallic solids exhibit high thermal and electrical conductivity, metallic luster, and malleability....
Complexation Equilibria: Factors Influencing Stability of Complexes
Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes
To explain the observed behavior of transition metal complexes (such as colors), a model involving electrostatic interactions between the electrons from the ligands and the electrons in the unhybridized d orbitals of the central metal atom has been developed. This electrostatic model is crystal field theory (CFT). It helps to understand, interpret, and predict the colors, magnetic behavior, and some structures of coordination compounds of transition metals.
CFT focuses on...
Aryldiazonium Salts to Azo Dyes: Diazo Coupling
Network Covalent Solids
To break or to melt a covalent network solid, covalent bonds must be broken. Because covalent bonds are relatively strong, covalent network solids are typically...
Crystal Field Theory - Tetrahedral and Square Planar Complexes
Crystal field theory (CFT) is applicable to molecules in geometries other than octahedral. In octahedral complexes, the lobes of the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals point directly at the ligands. For tetrahedral complexes, the d orbitals remain in place, but with only four ligands located between the axes. None of the orbitals points directly at the tetrahedral ligands. However, the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals (along the Cartesian axes) overlap with the ligands less than the dxy,...

