Femtosecond Laser-Induced Nanostructured Sacrificial Layer for Stable Zinc Metal Anode

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Aqueous zinc-ion batteries offer cost-effective and safe grid-scale energy storage.
• Zinc metal anodes enable high-energy-density batteries but suffer from surface instability, limiting cycle life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the surface instability of zinc metal anodes in aqueous zinc-ion batteries.
• To improve the capacity retention and cycle life of zinc batteries using a novel surface modification strategy.

Main Methods:

• Femtosecond laser-induced nanostructuring was employed to create a sacrificial layer on commercial zinc metal foils (Fs-Zn).
• The Fs-Zn substrate was characterized for its surface morphology and interfacial properties after initial stripping.
• Electrochemical performance was evaluated using Fs-Zn symmetric cells and Fs-Zn||MnO2 full cells.

Main Results:

• The sacrificial layer on Fs-Zn exhibits an orderly interface with exposed aligned crystal edges after stripping.
• This structure promotes (101)-oriented epitaxial growth and provides more active sites for zinc plating/stripping.
• Fs-Zn symmetric cells demonstrated prolonged operational life (>500 h at 1 mA cm⁻²/1 mAh cm⁻²) and enhanced stability.
• The Fs-Zn||MnO2 full cell achieved over 500 cycles with improved cycling stability.

Conclusions:

• Femtosecond laser-induced nanostructuring is an effective strategy to create a sacrificial layer for stabilizing zinc metal anodes.
• The proposed method significantly mitigates dendrite growth and side reactions, enhancing battery performance.
• This approach offers a viable solution for the practical application of high-performance aqueous zinc-ion batteries.