A Basalt Fiber-Based Three-Dimensional Skeleton Interfacial Layer for Highly Stable Zinc Anodes

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) face challenges with zinc metal anode stability due to dendrite growth and side reactions.
• Uncontrolled zinc deposition and parasitic reactions limit the cycle life and safety of AZIBs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a stable artificial protective layer for zinc anodes in AZIBs.
• To enhance the cycling performance and longevity of AZIBs by addressing anode instability.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of an organic-inorganic composite interfacial layer (BFLA) using LA132 binder and basalt fibers on zinc anodes.
• Electrochemical characterization including symmetric cell cycling, half-cell tests, and full-cell performance evaluation.
• Analysis of interfacial properties, including wettability and Zn2+ transference number.

Main Results:

• The BFLA layer effectively suppressed zinc dendrite growth and inhibited hydrogen evolution and corrosion.
• Symmetric cells demonstrated stable cycling over 1200 hours at 1 mA cm-2 and 650 hours at 10 mA cm-2.
• BFLA@Zn anodes achieved high Coulombic efficiency (99.8%) and significantly improved capacity retention in full cells.

Conclusions:

• The BFLA composite layer provides a robust solution for stabilizing zinc anodes in AZIBs.
• This strategy offers a promising pathway for developing high-performance, long-life aqueous zinc-ion batteries.
• The synergistic effect of the organic binder and inorganic fibers enhances interfacial properties and electrochemical stability.