Tolerant Molecular Engineering for High-Rate and Ultra-Long Cycle Life Zinc Anode

Aqueous zinc ion batteries have emerged as a promising technology for grid-scale energy storage due to their low cost and high safety. However, dendrites and side reactions at the zinc anode severely deteriorate their cycle stability. Herein, to mitigate these issues, a molecular tolerance mechanism, inspired by cell membranes in extreme plants, is employed to engineer the zinc anode surface. The molecular layer enhances both the desolvation process and transport rate of zinc ions, thereby suppressing the dendrite formation. The interfacial side reactions caused by excessive water molecules in solvated ions are practically minimized as well, thus the zinc anode turns more durable and robust under high-rate conditions. Specifically, at a moderate current density of 1 mA cm^-2@1 mAh cm^-2, the cycle stability of the zinc anode is improved to 8800 h, and up to 1100 h at a high current density of 10 mA cm^-2@5 mAh cm^-2. This work offers valuable insights into interfacial design for developing zinc ion batteries with long cycle life and fast-charging capabilities.