MXene-assisted polymer coating from aqueous monomer solution towards dendrite-free zinc anodes

Abstract

Coating polymer on the surface is an effective way to realize functional modification of the materials for diverse applications, which has been proved to enhance the stability of metal anodes in batteries. However, given the limited operability of coating from polymer dispersions, it is imperative to develop simple aqueous-based strategies from monomers for versatile polymer coating. Herein, a Ti3C2Tx MXene-assisted approach is proposed to construct polymer coating on zinc metal surfaces directly from the aqueous solution of monomers in an ice bath. By combining a doctor-blading method with spontaneous polymerization of monomers on the substrates at room temperature, a uniform, adhesive, and versatile coating layer assisted by a small amount of MXene is produced in one step. Additionally, MXene nanosheets serve as nanofillers to further enhance the mechanical strength and ionic conductivity of the polymer coating. Benefiting from good film formation and improved interfacial contact, the coated zinc anode exhibits a long cycling lifespan of over 1900 h. The assembled full cells show excellent cycling stability with a high capacity retention of 85.0% at 16 A g−1 over 2600 cycles. This work provides a simple and efficient way to produce polymer coatings directly from monomers, which may give new insights into design multifunctional polymer coatings for various applications.