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Updated: Aug 5, 2026
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Zinc-Sponge Battery Electrodes that Suppress Dendrites
Published on: September 29, 2020
Dynamic Interfacial pH Stabilization and (002) Oriented Deposition Enabled by Histidine-Induced Solid Electrolyte
Qi Liu1, Yimin Chen2, Jianwei Lu3
1Guangxi Key Laboratory of Optical and Electronic Materials and Devices, Collaborative Innovation Center For Exploration of Nonferrous Metal Deposits and Efficient Utilization of Resources in Guangxi, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, Guangxi, China.
Advanced Science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)
|July 31, 2026
Summary
Histidine (HIS) forms a protective layer on zinc anodes, stabilizing interfaces and preventing dendrite growth in aqueous zinc batteries. This enhances battery lifespan and performance for large-scale energy storage.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Materials Science
- Energy Storage
Background:
- Aqueous zinc batteries offer high energy density and safety but suffer from zinc anode instability.
- Zinc anode instability leads to hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), hydroxide accumulation, dendrite growth, and "dead zinc" formation.
- These issues hinder the practical application of zinc batteries for large-scale energy storage.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a stable interface for zinc anodes in aqueous batteries.
- To suppress side reactions and dendrite formation.
- To improve the cycling performance and Coulombic efficiency of zinc anodes.
Main Methods:
- Constructed an ultrathin solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) of Zn(OH)2-histidine (HIS) on the zinc anode.
- Investigated the SEI's synergistic mechanism of chemical buffering and physical blocking for pH stabilization.
- Analyzed the SEI's role in disrupting hydrogen-bond networks, repelling water, and modulating surface energy for oriented zinc deposition.
Main Results:
- The HIS-modified zinc anode (HIS@Zn) exhibited enhanced reversibility with 99% Coulombic efficiency.
- Achieved ultra-stable cycling for over 1350 hours at 10 mA cm⁻² and 5 mAh cm⁻².
- Demonstrated stable operation for over 300 hours at 81% depth of discharge and a full cell retained 92.33% capacity after 700 cycles.
Conclusions:
- The Zn(OH)2-HIS SEI effectively stabilizes the zinc anode interface by buffering pH and blocking water.
- This strategy suppresses side reactions and promotes uniform zinc deposition, enabling high-performance aqueous zinc batteries.
- Histidine-based SEI is a promising approach for advancing safe and cost-effective large-scale energy storage solutions.
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