Ordered zinc electrodeposition from single-crystal units to polycrystalline stacking within solid-electrolyte...

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Controlling zinc nucleation and crystal growth is vital for aqueous zinc metal battery longevity.
• Side reactions and unstable solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) formations hinder continuous zinc electrodeposition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To achieve ordered zinc electrodeposition using a designed organic/inorganic dual-phase SEI.
• To enhance the stability and performance of aqueous zinc metal batteries.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of an organic/inorganic dual-phase SEI.
• Investigation of SEI's role in zinc nucleation and crystal growth.
• Electrochemical testing of Zn|Zn symmetric batteries and Zn|I2 full cells.

Main Results:

• The dual-phase SEI facilitated ordered zinc deposition from single-crystal building blocks.
• The SEI protected against hydrogen evolution and metal corrosion, enabling dendrite-free stacking.
• Zn|Zn batteries achieved over 5600 hours lifespan with 85.0% depth of discharge.
• Zn|I2 full cells showed 201.9 mAh g-1 capacity at -30°C and a 0.1 Ah pouch cell operated for 113 cycles.

Conclusions:

• The engineered SEI is crucial for regulating zinc electrodeposition and improving battery performance.
• This work provides insights into SEI's role in crystal structure control for metal batteries.
• The findings pave the way for developing high-performance, long-lifespan aqueous zinc metal batteries.