Ultra-High Proportion of Grain Boundaries in Zinc Metal Anode Spontaneously Inhibiting Dendrites Growth

Aqueous Zn-ion batteries are an attractive electrochemical energy storage solution for their budget and safe properties. However, dendrites and uncontrolled side reactions in anodes detract the cycle life and energy density of the batteries. Grain boundaries in metals are generally considered as the source of the above problems but we present a diverse result. This study introduces an ultra-high proportion of grain boundaries on zinc electrodes through femtosecond laser bombardment to enhance stability of zinc metal/electrolyte interface. The ultra-high proportion of grain boundaries promotes the homogenization of zinc growth potential, to achieve uniform nucleation and growth, thereby suppressing dendrite formation. Additionally, the abundant active sites mitigate the side reactions during the electrochemical process. Consequently, the 15 μm Fs-Zn||MnO₂ pouch cell achieves an energy density of 249.4 Wh kg^-1 and operates for over 60 cycles at a depth-of-discharge of 23 %. The recognition of the favorable influence exerted by UP-GBs paves a new way for other metal batteries.