Extremophile-Inspired Hydroxyectoine Reconstructs Water Networks and Stabilizes Zinc Interfaces in Aqueous Zinc...

AZIBs are promising for large‑scale energy storage, yet their practical deployment is severely limited by H₂ evolution, interfacial corrosion, and dendritic Zn growth. Herein, inspired by the water-regulation strategy of extremophiles, hydroxyectoine (HE), a natural solute with strong hydration capability, is introduced for the first time as a multifunctional electrolyte additive for AZIBs. HE enables a dual-phase regulation strategy by simultaneously modulating the electrolyte hydrogen-bonding network and stabilizing the zinc electrode interface. Experimental characterizations and theoretical calculations reveal that HE reconstructs the water hydrogen-bonding environment, reduces free water activity, and participates in Zn²⁺ solvation regulation, thereby suppressing parasitic hydrogen evolution and facilitating Zn²⁺ desolvation. Meanwhile, HE preferentially interacts with the Zn surface and modifies the interfacial environment, promoting more uniform Zn deposition. Benefiting from these synergistic effects, the Zn||Zn symmetric cells deliver ultralong cycling stability over 7300 h at 5.0 mA cm^-2 and achieve an accumulated plating capacity of 18.25 Ah cm^-2. Zn||Cu cells maintain a high average Coulombic efficiency of 99.73% over 1500 cycles, while Zn-based full cells retain 70.86% of their initial capacity after 3000 cycles at 5.0 A g^-1. This bio-inspired electrolyte design offers a robust route to durable, high-performance AZIBs.