Constructing a ZnTi layered double hydroxide nanosheet array via in situ chemical conversion for dendrite-free and...

The practical utilization of aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) is significantly obstructed by dendritic growth and water-induced parasitic reactions on zinc anodes. In this work, we present an innovative in situ chemical conversion method to create a durable zinc‑titanium layered double hydroxide (ZnTi LDH) coating directly on Zn foil, referred to as ZnTi LDH@Zn. The vertically aligned LDH nanosheet array has abundant zincophilic sites and ion-transport channels that are ordered. These channels homogenize the Zn²⁺ flux and guide uniform deposition. At the same time, this thick coating acts as a good barrier that keeps the Zn anode from coming into direct contact with the aqueous electrolyte. This suppresses corrosion and the hydrogen evolution reaction. Consequently, the ZnTi LDH@Zn symmetric cell can cycle for more than 2000 h at a high current density of 10 mA cm^-2. The full cell maintains a capacity of 195 mAh g^-1 after 2500 cycles when paired with a MnO₂ cathode. This work offers a pragmatic and effective coating methodology for the fabrication of resilient and high-performance zinc-metal anodes.