Chemically converted volume-resilience interface enables high-capacity zinc anode

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Aqueous zinc metal batteries (AZMBs) are promising for energy storage.
• High discharge depth (DOD) operation and high areal capacity are critical for practical AZMBs.
• Disordered Zn plating/stripping at the anode interface limits AZMB performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design a stable zinc anode interface for high areal capacity AZMBs.
• To overcome interfacial instability issues in Zn anodes.
• To enable practical applications of AZMBs under demanding conditions.

Main Methods:

• Developed a work-function-guided chemical interface for Zn anodes.
• Utilized interfacial work-function difference to create an electron bridge via ohmic contact.
• Investigated electron transport and Zn2+ plating/stripping behavior at the interface.

Main Results:

• Achieved stable cycling of Zn anodes at 30 mAh cm⁻² (52% DOD) and 50 mAh cm⁻² (85% DOD).
• Demonstrated suppression of interfacial cracking and morphological deterioration.
• Validated the interface in a 370 mAh Zn||iodine (Zn||I2) pouch cell operating at 4.625 mAh cm⁻².

Conclusions:

• The work-function-guided interface engineering enables stable Zn anode performance at high areal capacities.
• Ohmic contact and electron bridging are key to uniform Zn plating/stripping.
• This interface design advances the practicality of AZMBs.