Sn Penetrated Zincophilic Interface Design in Porous Zn Substrate for High Performance Zn-Ion Battery

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Rechargeable zinc-ion batteries offer low cost and safety due to aqueous electrolytes.
• Zinc anode issues like dendrite growth and self-corrosion limit battery stability and lifespan.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance the stability and lifetime of zinc anodes in rechargeable zinc-ion batteries.
• To mitigate safety risks associated with zinc anode degradation.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a 3D porous zinc substrate using HCl etching.
• Formation of a uniform tin-penetrated zincophilic interface via electron beam evaporation (EBE).
• Testing of the modified anode (3D Zn@Sn) in symmetric and full cells.

Main Results:

• The 3D Zn@Sn anode demonstrated prolonged cycling stability up to 4500 hours with low polarization (≈25 mV at 1 mA cm⁻²).
• A full cell utilizing the modified anode maintained a high specific capacity of 148.6 mAh g⁻¹ after 500 cycles at 10 A g⁻¹.
• The strategy effectively uniformed zinc ion flux and improved zinc deposition, inhibiting dendrite growth and side reactions.

Conclusions:

• The proposed host-design strategy with a 3D porous structure and zincophilic interface significantly improves zinc anode performance.
• This approach offers a viable pathway for developing high-performance and safe rechargeable zinc-ion batteries.