Fullerenol as a nano-molecular sieve additive enables stable zinc metal anodes

Aqueous zinc batteries (AZBs) with the advantages of safety, low cost, and sustainability are promising candidates for large-scale energy storage devices. However, the issues of interface side reactions and dendrite growth at the zinc metal anode (ZMA) significantly harm the cycling lifespan of AZBs. In this study, we designed a nano-molecular sieve additive, fullerenol (C₆₀(OH)_n), which possesses a surface rich in hydroxyl groups that can be uniformly dispersed in the aqueous solution, and captures free water in the electrolyte, thereby suppressing the occurrence of interfacial corrosion. Besides, fullerenol can be further reduced to fullerene (C₆₀) on the surface of ZMA, holding a unique self-smoothing effect that can inhibit the growth of dendritic Zn. With the synergistic action of these two effects, the fullerenol-contained electrolyte (FE) enables dendrite-free ZMAs. The Zn-Ti half-cell using FE exhibits stable cycling over 2500 times at 5 mA cm^-2 with an average Coulombic efficiency as high as 99.8 %. Additionally, the Zn-NaV₃O₈ cell using this electrolyte displays a capacity retention rate of 100 % after 1000 cycles at -20 °C. This work provides important insights into the molecular design of multifunctional electrolyte additives.