Tailoring Zinc Anode Interface with a Lard Derivative Coating for High-Performance Aqueous Batteries

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Aqueous zinc-ion batteries face challenges like zinc dendrite growth, hydrogen evolution, and interface passivation, limiting anode stability.
• Developing effective strategies for zinc anode protection is crucial for advancing rechargeable zinc-ion battery technology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate and characterize a lard derivative coating (LDC) for zinc anodes to mitigate common instability issues.
• To investigate the influence of LDC on zinc deposition behavior and interface stability in aqueous electrolytes.

Main Methods:

• Coating-calcination process to create LDC on zinc anodes.
• Characterization using SEM, EDS, XRD, FTIR, and XPS.
• Electrochemical testing including cycling stability, coulombic efficiency, and rate capability in asymmetric and full cells.

Main Results:

• LDC-modified zinc anodes (LDC@Zn) exhibited stable cycling for over 3500 hours at 1 mA·cm^-2.
• Achieved an average coulombic efficiency of 99.8% over 2400 cycles in Zn||Cu asymmetric cells.
• Full cells demonstrated a reversible capacity of ~400 mAh·g^-1 after 800 cycles at 5 A·g^-1, showing excellent rate capability and stability.

Conclusions:

• The LDC interphase provides hydrophobic suppression of side reactions and zincophilic regulation of Zn²⁺ deposition.
• This synergistic effect balances interfacial stability and controlled ion transport, enabling scalable and stable zinc anodes.
• The study offers new insights into interfacial engineering for high-performance aqueous zinc-ion batteries.