Ultra-strong zinc-ion adsorption layer constructed by zeolite molecular sieve for advanced aqueous zinc-ion batteries

Abstract

Lifespan of aqueous zinc-ion batteries, particularly at high rates and area capacities is extremely limited by the dendrite growth due to the random ion diffusion and sluggish ion replenishment at the electrode interface. Here, a protective layer with strong capability of adsorbing zinc-ions is proposed to pledge fast ion diffusion and replenishment during cycling, which effectively eliminates the “Zn2+ barren region” on electrode surface and thus inhibits the dendrite formation. Furthermore, the protective layer isolates the Zn anode from the aqueous electrolyte, and alleviates the side reaction caused by the electrolyte corrosion. Consequently, the protected Zn anode achieves long-term reversible Zn plating/stripping for 1760 h. Meanwhile, the superior rate capability of full cell is confirmed by the average discharge capacity of 100.9 mA h g−1 at a high current density of 10 A g−1. This work opens a new avenue for the construction of zinc-ion batteries with both enhanced rate capability and cycling stability.