Stabilizing zinc anodes with sodium lignosulfonate-doped polypyrrole

Despite zinc-based electrochemical energy storage being considered a safe and efficient energy storage system, problems such as uncontrolled dendrite growth, hydrogen precipitation reactions, and corrosion have seriously hindered its commercialization. Mitigating dendrite growth and other associated issues is crucial for the successful commercialization of these systems. Sodium lignosulfonate is an excellent dopant for conductive polymers, which can endow conductive polymers with abundant functional groups. Herein, we propose a sodium lignosulfonate-doped polypyrrole protective layer for zinc anodes with good hydrophilicity, electrical conductivity, and a porous structure, which can effectively inhibit the growth of zinc dendrites and side reactions. The doping of sodium lignosulfonate introduces numerous zincophilic groups. The sulfonate groups enhance zinc ion interaction and regulate flux, while phenolic hydroxyl groups increase zincophilic sites, aiding in the uniform deposition of zinc.