Bio-Inspired Zinc Anodes: Mitigating Dendrite Formation and Side Reactions in Aqueous Zinc Metal Batteries Using...

An innovative strategy is presented to enhance the electrochemical stability and performance of aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) through laser-assisted carbonization of chitosan biopolymer as a surface modification layer on zinc anodes (c-Chi/Zn). The c-Chi layer addresses critical challenges, including dendrite formation and uneven Zn deposition, by providing a stable, dendrite-resistant interface. Comprehensive structural, chemical, and electrochemical analyses reveal that the c-Chi layer improves Zn²⁺ transport kinetics and significantly stabilizes the anode-electrolyte interface, enabling long-term cycling. Symmetrical and half-cell configurations with c-Chi/Zn anodes exhibit exceptional durability, maintaining cycling stability for over 3300 h at a 2.0 mA cm⁻² current density. In full-cell configurations, the c-Chi/Zn║V₂O₅ system delivers a high specific capacity of 338 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.2 A g⁻¹ and has a capacity retention of 73% at 1.0 A g⁻¹ after 1000 cycles-far outperforming bare Zn║V₂O₅ cells, which retain only 41%. This work demonstrates that N-doped porous carbon coating derived from chitosan enhances Zn anode performance in aqueous ZIBs. This scalable and eco-friendly surface modification offers a promising pathway toward safe, high-performance, and sustainable energy storage systems.