Bifunctional Hydrophobic Conductive Interface Enabling Scalable and Highly Stable Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) have emerged as promising candidates for next-generation energy storage systems, owing to the intrinsic-safety aqueous electrolyte and high-energy-density electrode materials. However, their electrochemical performance is limited by two critical interface issues: vulnerability to electrolyte corrosion and insufficient active material adhesion. Here, we develop a bifunctional hydrophobic conductive interface, which effectively mitigates electrode detachment and corrosion. The as-assembled MnO₂//Zn batteries retain a high specific capacity of 141.6 mAh g^-1 after 1500 cycles at 1.0 C. The prototype pouch cell with a high energy density of 100 Wh kg^-1 delivers a long cycle life of 1000 cycles. This advancement not only enhances the electrochemical performance of ZIBs but also paves the way for safe, cost-efficient, and high-performance energy storage solutions.