Enabling Targeted Zinc Growth via Interface Regulation Toward Binder Free and High Areal Capacity Zinc Metal Anode

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are promising due to zinc's low redox potential and abundance.
• Commercialization is limited by side reactions, dendrite formation, and uneven ion diffusion.
• Developing stable and high-performance AZIBs requires addressing interfacial challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel nanostructure for AZIBs to overcome current limitations.
• To achieve binder-free, high-performance, and dendrite-free zinc anodes.
• To enhance interfacial ion transfer, corrosion resistance, and regulate zinc deposition.

Main Methods:

• Electrospinning technique to create 3D self-assembled necklace-like nanofibers.
• Sequential alignment of SiO2@SiO2/C nanospheres on nitrogen/carbon networks (SSA/NCF).
• Characterization of the SSA/NCF protective layer for zinc deposition.

Main Results:

• The SSA/NCF layer facilitated excellent interfacial ion transfer and corrosion resistance.
• Homogeneous zinc deposition with reduced nucleation barrier was achieved.
• Preferential (101) oriented electroplating growth and dense zinc deposition were induced.
• The modified anode demonstrated remarkable cycling stability, reaching 3000 hours at 5 mA cm⁻²/1.25 mAh cm⁻².

Conclusions:

• The developed SSA/NCF nanostructure effectively suppresses dendrite growth in AZIBs.
• This multifunctional interfacial layer significantly enhances cycling stability and performance.
• The study provides a new strategy for designing high-performance zinc anodes for advanced energy storage.