Electrostatic effects drive graphene oxide carbon dots to self-assemble into negatively charged layer for...

Hydrogen evolution reaction, corrosion, and zinc dendrite growth are the main bottlenecks limiting the performance of zinc-ion batteries. Additives are considered a direct and effective solution by adsorbing on the zinc anode surface to construct a protective layer. However, while traditional protective layers can suppress side reactions and corrosion, their non-uniform thickness and high interfacial impedance reduce the migration rate of Zn²⁺, leading to uneven Zn²⁺ concentration distribution and actually exacerbating dendrite growth. Herein, graphene oxide carbon dots (GO-CDs) with multiple adsorption sites were designed. GO-CDs adsorb on the zinc anode surface through multiple sites and self-assemble to form a uniformly distributed multifunctional negatively charged layer. This negatively charged layer creates a water-deficient environment, effectively suppressing the hydrogen evolution reaction; electrostatically repels SO₄^2- to avoid the formation of basic zinc sulfate corrosion products; and reconstructs the distribution of interfacial electric fields, establishing directional electrostatically driven mass transfer channels, enhancing the Zn²⁺ migration rate, reducing the desolvation activation energy barrier, optimizing the nucleation overpotential, and achieving a spatially uniform distribution of Zn²⁺ concentration, thereby inhibiting the growth of zinc dendrites. Performance tests show that Zn||Zn symmetric cells can maintain cycling stability for over 1800 h. Even after aging tests, restarted Zn||Zn symmetric cells can still maintain stable performance, with restarted Zn||Cu half-cells achieving a coulombic efficiency of up to 99.8%, in stark contrast to the failure of the control group.