Transport Of Zinc Ions Research Articles

Engineering of charge density at the anode/electrolyte interface for long-life Zn anode in aqueous zinc ion battery.

The aqueous zinc ion battery emerges as the promising candidate applied in large-scale energy storage system. However, Zn anode suffers from the issues including Zn dendrite, Hydrogen evolution reaction and corrosion. These challenges are primarily derived from the instability of anode/electrolyte interface, which is associated with the interfacial charge density distribution. In this context, the recent advancements concentrating on the strategies and mechanism to regulate charge density at the Zn anode/electrolyte interface are summarized. Different characterization techniques for charge density distribution have been analysed, which can be applied to assess the interfacial zinc ion transport. Additionally, the charge density regulations at the Zn anode/electrolyte interface are discussed, elucidating their roles in modulating electrostatic interactions, electric field, structure of solvated zinc ion and electric double layer, respectively. Finally, the perspectives and challenges on the further research are provided to establish the stable anode/electrolyte interface by focusing on charge density modifications, which is expected to facilitate the development of aqueous zinc ion battery.

Enhancing aqueous zinc-ion energy storage performance with ion-mediating carbon quantum dots-modified separators regulating zinc deposition behavior

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) hold promising applications owing to their safety, cost-effectiveness, and competitive capacity. However, issues such as zinc dendritic formation and side reactions severely impede their practical viability. Utilizing carbon quantum dots (CQDs) to modify cheap, tenacious, and highly hydrophilic filter paper (FP) as separator effectively improves the electrochemical performance of zinc ion energy storage systems. The structured arrangement of CQDs redistributes zinc ion transport and induces uniform zinc icon deposition, thereby improving zinc ion reaction kinetics. Moreover, the rich functional groups on the surface of CQDs readily form hydrogen bonds with active H2O, further inhibiting corrosion reactions. With the assistance of CQDs, the FP-CQDs separator maintains high ionic conductivity and a high zinc-ion transference number, ensuring dendrite-free and corrosion-resistant operation with high coulombic efficiency and a prolonged lifespan of 1200 h at 1 mA cm−2. Zn//AC hybrid capacitors incorporating FP-CQDs separator demonstrate superior capacity retention compared to those using FP separator alone, with a high capacity retention after 600 cycles at 1 A/g, while Zn//V2O5 full batteries also exhibit excellent cycling stability. Given these findings, this study presents a new composite separator for advanced aqueous zinc-ion energy storage systems.

Transcriptome analysis of potassium-mediated cadmium accumulation in sweet sorghum

Cadmium (Cd) pollution in the soil is a serious environmental issue worldwide. Phytoextraction of Cd-polluted soil is a cost-effective, sustainable and environmentally-friendly strategy. Agricultural fertilizer management is beneficial for promoting the Cd phytoremediation efficiency. Potassium (K) is the nutrient required in the largest amount cation by plants. Sweet sorghum exhibits a substantial phytoremediation potential of Cd-polluted soil. Clarifying the mechanism of K-mediated Cd accumulation in sweet sorghum is imperative. Sweet sorghum plants were grown hydroponically with an extra K supply in the presence or absence of Cd treatment. An extra K application significantly increased plant growth under non-Cd addition, while K lost the profitable effect under Cd stress. K supplementation remarkably enhanced Cd concentrations and Cd accumulation in shoots and roots of sweet sorghum. Transcriptome analysis demonstrated that zinc ion transport, cysteine and methionine metabolism, flavonoid biosynthesis and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways might contribute to the increased Cd accumulation as affected by an extra K supply. Furthermore, SbZIP9, SbSTP8, SbYS1, SbMAG and SbFOMT-like were targeted as they closely correlated with both plant growth and Cd stress in sweet sorghum. SbFOMT-like showed an independent pathway, while SbZIP9, SbSTP8, SbYS1 and SbMAG displayed positive correlations mutually. Notably, SbZIP9 and SbFOMT-like were highly expressed when compared with other target genes. Taken together, SbZIP9 and SbFOMT-like were upregulated and downregulated by an extra K supply under Cd stress, suggesting that SbZIP9 and SbFOMT-like enhances and declines Cd accumulation as regulated by K addition in sweet sorghum respectively.

Achieving Non-Interfacial Blocking Zinc Ion Transport Based on MOF Derived Manganese Oxides and Amorphous Carbon Hybrid Materials.

How to coordinate electron and ion transport behavior across scales and interfaces within ion battery electrodes? The exponential increase in surface area observed in nanoscale electrode materials results in an incomprehensibly vast spatial interval. Herein, to address the problems of volume expansion, dissolution of cathode material, and the charge accumulation problem existing in manganiferous materials for zinc ion batteries, metal organic framework is utilized to form the architecture of non-interfacial blocking ~10 nm Mn2O3 nanoparticles and amorphous carbon hybrid electrode materials, demonstrating a high specific capacity of 361 mAh g-1 (0.1 A g-1), and excellent cycle stability of 105 mAh g-1 after 2000 cycles under 1 A g-1. The uniform and non-separated disposition of Mn and C atoms constitutes an interconnected network with high electronic and ionic conductivity, minimizing issues like structural collapse and volume expansion of the electrode material during cycling. The cooperative insert mechanism of H+ and Zn2+ are analyzed via ex-situ XRD and in-situ Raman tests. The model battery is assembled to present practical possibilities. The results indicate that MOF-derived carbonization provides an effective strategy for exploring Mn-based electrode materials with high ion and electron transport capacity.

Crystal orientation enabling rapid Zn2+ migration for advanced zinc-ion hybrid capacitors

Aqueous zinc-ion hybrid capacitors (AZIHCs) are promising for large-scale energy storage given their superiority in cost and safety, whereas dendrite growth on zinc anodes limits their viability. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) exhibit the potential to inhibit dendrite growth due to their unique structure, but the suppression mechanism on different crystalline planes has always been overlooked. Herein, inspired by theoretical simulations, (110) crystal surfaces exhibit unique Z-type channels in ZIF-8, which significantly reduces the migration energy barrier of Zn2+ from 1.2 eV to 0.2 eV compared to the (100) crystalline surface, enabling homogeneous zinc ion deposition. Conversely, (100) surfaces hindered zinc ion transport due to their smaller pore diameter. As predicted, the lifetime of symmetric cells with as-prepared ZIF-8–110@Zn was about 18 times than that of ZIF-8–100@Zn cells at 1 mA cm-2. In-situ optical microscopy also revealed uniform zinc ion deposition with ZIF-8–110@Zn, whereas dendrite growth occurred in bare zinc and ZIF-8–100@Zn anode. Assembling it with activated carbon (AC) cathode for AZIHCs deliver a long cycle life of 3500. This pioneering study not only provides a strategy for further enhancing electrochemical performance by tuning the dominant facets of MOFs, but also provides novel insights into the mechanism of zinc anode protection.

Regulating the zinc ion transport kinetics of Mn3O4 through copper doping towards high-capacity aqueous Zn-ion battery

High working voltage, large theoretical capacity and cheapness render Mn3O4 promising cathode candidate for aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs). Unfortunately, poor electrochemical activity and bad structural stability lead to low capacity and unsatisfactory cycling performance. Herein, Mn3O4 material was fabricated through a facile precipitation reaction and divalent copper ions were introduced into the crystal framework, and ultra-small Cu-doped Mn3O4 nanocrystalline cathode materials with mixed valence states of Mn2+, Mn3+ and Mn4+ were obtained via post-calcination. The presence of Cu acts as structural stabilizer by partial substitution of Mn, as well as enhance the conductivity and reactivity of Mn3O4. Significantly, based on electrochemical investigations and ex-situ XPS characterization, a synergistic effect between copper and manganese was revealed in the Cu-doped Mn3O4, in which divalent Cu2+ can catalyze the transformation of Mn3+ and Mn4+ to divalent Mn2+, accompanied by the translation of Cu2+ to Cu0 and Cu+. Benefitting from the above advantages, the Mn3O4 cathode doped with moderate copper (abbreviated as CMO-2) delivers large discharge capacity of 352.9 mAh g−1 at 100 mA g−1, which is significantly better than Mn3O4 (only 247.8 mAh g−1). In addition, CMO-2 holds 203.3 mAh g−1 discharge capacity after 1000 cycles at 1 A g−1 with 98.6 % retention, and after 1000 cycles at 5 A g−1, it still performs decent discharge capacity of 104.2 mAh g−1. This work provides new ideas and approaches for constructing manganese-based AZIBs with long lifespan and high capacity.

Improving Zn2+ migration via designing multiple zincophilic polymer electrolyte for advanced aqueous zinc ion batteries

Aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs)-based on Zn metal anode face serious issues of hydrogen evolution, corrosion, and zinc dendrite growth, limiting their practical applications. Polymer-based electrolytes can effectively inhibit the above issue, but usually bring additional interfacial resistance, resulting in slow reaction kinetics. Herein, we report a poly(4-acryloylmorpholine) electrolyte with multiple zincophilic primitives for fast zinc ion transport at bulk and interface of Zn metal anode (zinc ion transfer number of 0.77) via a facile one-pot polymerization. The special electrolyte structure with multiple zincophilic primitives can adhere tightly to the Zn metal anode and induce uniform Zn deposition, resulting in low interface resistance and enhanced cycling life of batteries. Therefore, the symmetric Zn||Zn batteries assembled based on the designed and synthesized polymer electrolyte can be stably cycled for 1400 with low overpotential (∼220 mV) at 0.5 mA cm−2 with a capacity of 0.5 mAh cm−2, and the corresponding V2O5||Zn full batteries exhibit attractive reversibility, rate performance, and cycling stability. The electrolyte engineering in this work paves a new path for the construction of polymer-based electrolytes for safe and stable AZIBs.

In Situ Assembly of Metal‐Organic Coordination Polymer Layers Enables Highly Reversible Zn Anodes with a Long Cycle Life of over 6900 h

AbstractZn anodes in aqueous zinc‐ion batteries chronically suffer from pernicious side reactions and ineluctable dendrite growth, resulting in inadequate reversibility and suboptimal Coulombic efficiency (CE) and impeding commercialization. Herein, a multifunctional metal–organic coordination polymer layer (FAZ) is constructed on the zinc anode surface (FAZ@Zn) utilizing a simple self‐assembly strategy. The zincophilic FAZ interfacial layer with a high Zn2+ transfer number and low nucleation barrier effectively facilitates the de‐solvation process, supports the rapid transport of zinc ions, and contributes to the preferential growth of Zn (002) crystal planes, enabling dendrite‐free Zn deposition. Furthermore, the FAZ layer, as an interfacial pH regulating layer, effectively inhibits the direct contact between Zn and active water molecules, lowering the severity of side reactions. Consequently, the FAZ@Zn anode furnishes an eminent cycle stability over 6900 h, with a low polarization voltage at 1 mA cm−2 and 1 mA h cm−2 and a boosted CE of 99.88% over 4100 cycles. More encouragingly, when coupled with Na2V6O16·3H2O, the FAZ@Zn anode enables the full cell to deliver satisfactory rate performance and a 97% capacity retention over 1600 cycles. This work provides a simple strategy for the effective preparation of highly reversible zinc anodes for high‐performance aqueous zinc‐ion batteries.

Solidify Eutectic Electrolytes via the Added MXene as Nucleation Sites for a Solid-State Zinc-Ion Battery with Reconstructed Ion Transport.

Stationary energy storage infrastructure based on zinc-ion transport and storage chemistry is attracting more attention due to favorable metrics, including cost, safety, and recycling feasibility. However, splitting water and liquid electrolyte fluidity lead to cathode dissolution and Zn corrosion, resulting in rapid attenuation of the capacity and service life. Herein, a new architecture of solid-state electrolytes with high zinc ionic conductivity at room temperature was prepared via solidification of deep eutectic solvents utilizing MXene as nucleation additives. The ionic conductivity of MXene/ZCEs reached 6.69 × 10-4 S cm-1 at room temperature. Dendrite-free Zn plating/stripping with high reversibility can remain for over 2500 h. Subsequently, the fabricated solid-state zinc-ion battery with eliminated HER and suppressed Zn dendrites exhibited excellent cycling performance and could work normally in a range from -10 to 60 °C. This design inspired by eutectic solidification affords new insights into the multivalent solid electrochemistry suffering from slow ion migration.

Reusable multifunctional interlayer for dendrite-free and ultrastable zinc anodes via regulating zinc-ion transport and inhibiting hydrogen evolution

The practical application of zinc anodes in aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) is hindered due to uncontrollable dendritic Zn deposition and side reactions. Herein, a reusable interlayer constructed from Sn nanoparticles-modified polyhydroxy semi-carbonized bacterial cellulose (Sn@PHCBC) with three-dimensional interconnected network structure is proposed to achieve sustainable and smooth regulation of zinc anode. The suppression of dendrites is primarily attributed to the uniform Zn ions flux constructed by reversible Sn-Zn alloy nanoparticles channel, as well as the targeted transport and rapid desolvation of hydrated zinc ions through hydroxyl groups of PHCBC. Additionally, the abundant high overpotential Sn nanoparticles anchored in Sn@PHCBC interlayer effectively inhibit the hydrogen evolution reaction and minimize the formation of byproducts. As a result, the Zn||Zn symmetrical cell assembled with Sn@PHCBC interlayer demonstrates highly reversible electroplating/stripping behavior with an extended lifespan of 800 h at high current densities of 10 mA cm−2 and 10 mAh cm−2. Besides, after 1000 cycles of MnO2||Sn@PHCBC//Zn full cell, the Sn@PHCBC interlayer can still be reused with nearly 100 % coulombic efficiency after simple treatment. The rational design in this work provides a feasible solution for high-performance ZIBs and promote the development of advanced energy storage devices reutilization.

The role of Zip1 and Zip3 in cadmium accumulation in Fujian oyster (Crassostrea angulata)

Oysters are notably susceptible to accumulating substantial amounts of cadmium (Cd), leading to food safety concerns, yet the molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. Previous study identified a significant correlation between polymorphisms in the Zip1 and Zip3 of Fujian oyster (Crassostrea angulata) and the levels of Cd accumulation. Zip1 and Zip3, belonging to the Zip family, are primarily responsible for the cellular transport of zinc and other metal ions. To delve deeper into their roles in Cd transport within oysters, this research cloned and analyzed the sequences of Fujian oyster Zip1 and Zip3. The open reading frames for Zip1 and Zip3 were 960 and 978 bp, respectively, encoding proteins of 319 and 325 amino acids. Following Cd exposure, the expression levels of these genes in the mantle, gills, and other tissues initially increased significantly before decreasing, demonstrating a dose-dependent response. The lowest expression levels were observed in the adductor muscle, with Zip1 reaching its highest expression in the mantle and Zip3 in the visceral mass. In vitro RNAi experiments revealed that silencing Zip1 led to a 1.26-fold decrease in new 113Cd accumulation in the mantle, whereas silencing Zip3 resulted in a 1.29-fold increase. Immunohistochemistry showed weak expression of Zip1 and Zip3 proteins in the connective tissue of the mantle. In summary, Zip1 and Zip3 in Fujian oyster can transport Cd as a substrate, and played different roles in the absorption and efflux of Cd.

A “two cooking with one fish” strategy for modulating both polyaniline cathode and zinc anode towards enhanced kinetics and cycling stability for aqueous zinc ion batteries

The adverse stability of both polyaniline (PANI) and Zn anode remains a challenge to the long−term cyclability and rate capability of aqueous Zn−PANI batteries. Herein, a “two–cooking with one fish” strategy is presented to modulate both PANI cathode and Zn anode, in which nanoscale graphene sheets in cathode can promote ordered growth of PANI array, being conducive to provide large electrochemical active area and efficient transport pathways and alleviate volume variation during repeated charging/discharging process. Meanwhile, the honeycomb–like structure of graphene sheets as protective layer can accelerate zinc ion transport kinetics and suppress side reactions and zinc dendrite growth. Consequently, the optimized G/Zn symmetric cell delivers a remarkable lifespan over 1000 h at 1 mA cm−2 with 1 mAh cm−2. Furthermore, the assembled PANI/G/CC||G/Zn battery could deliver a specific capacity of 265.8 mAh g−1 at 0.2 A g−1, excellent rate capability (145.5 mAh g−1 at 20 A g−1), a maximum energy density of 246.9 W h kg−1 and power density of 8675.9 W kg−1, and especially capacity retention of 91.1 % after 10000 cycles. Combining with additional merits of low cost, eco–friendliness, and safe operation, our design will shed light on resolving the issues on cyclability and rate capability of aqueous Zn−PANI batteries.

Hydrated Calcium Vanadate Nanoribbons with a Stable Structure and Fast Ion Diffusion as a Cathode for Quasi-Solid-State Zinc-Ion Batteries.

We demonstrated the use of hydrated calcium vanadate (CaV6O16·3H2O, denoted as CaVO-2) as a cathode for aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs). Nanoribbons of hydrated calcium vanadate facilitated shortening of the Zn2+ transport distance and accelerated zinc-ion insertion. The introduction of interlayer structure water increased the interlayer spacing of calcium vanadate and as a "lubricant". Ca2+ insertion also expanded the interlayer spacing and further stabilized the interlayer structure of vanadium-based oxide. The density functional theory results showed that the introduction of Ca2+ and structured water could effectively improve the diffusion kinetics, resulting in the rapid transport of zinc ions. As a result, AZIBs based on the CaVO-2 cathode offered high specific capacity (329.6 mAh g-1 at 200 mA g-1) and fast charge/discharge capability (147 mAh g-1 at 10 A g-1). Impressively, quasi-solid-state zinc-ion batteries based on the CaVO-2 cathode and polyacrylamide-cellulose nanofiber hydrogel electrolytes maintained an outstanding specific capacity and long cycle life (162 mAh g-1 over 10 000 cycles at 5 A g-1). This study provided a reliable strategy for metal-ion insertion and the structural water introduction of oxides to produce a high-quality cathode for ZIBs. Meanwhile, it provides ideas for the combination of vanadium-based materials and gel electrolytes to construct solid-state zinc-ion batteries.

Architecture of integrated solid-state zinc-ion battery based on sodium alginate gelation

How to construct a new electrode/electrolyte interface structure in solid-state batteries (SSBs), enhance interface stability, and improve the cycling performance of SSBs is a great challenge for the development of SSBs. Here, an all-in-one “interface-free” structure was developed. This interfacial structure constructs a full-interface hydrogen bonding network through the abundant hydrogen bond donors and acceptors in the cathode and electrolyte to enhance the interfacial stability and avoid interfacial failure during charging and discharging, and generates cathode–electrolyte interface (CEI) in-situ to effectively regulate zinc ion transport. Square cells assembled in this structure are stabilized for 100 cycles at a current density of 0.1 mA cm−2. This integrated electrode provides a new idea for the long stable cycle of SSBs.

Biomass-derived porous carbon with single-atomic cobalt toward high-performance aqueous zinc-sulfur batteries at room temperature

Aqueous zinc-sulfur batteries at room temperature hold great potential for next-generation energy storage technology due to their low cost, safety and high energy density. However, slow reaction kinetics and high activation energy at the sulfur cathode pose great challenges for the practical applications. Herein, biomass-derived carbon with single-atomic cobalt sites (MMPC-Co) is synthesized as the cathode in Zn-S batteries. The catalysis of single-atom Co sites greatly promotes the transform of cathode electrolyte interface (CEI) on the cathode surface, while offering accelerated charge transfer rate for high conversion reversibility and large electrochemical surface area (ECSA) for high electrocatalytic current. Furthermore, the rich pore structure not only physically limits sulfur loss, but also accelerates the transport of zinc ions. In addition, the large pore volume of MMPC-Co is able to relieve the stress effect caused by the volume expansion of ZnS during charge/discharge cycles, thereby maintaining the stability of electrode structure. Consequently, the sulfur cathode maintains a high specific capacity of 729.96 mA h g−1 after 500 cycles at 4 A g−1, which is much better than most cathode materials reported in the literature. This work provides new insights into the design and development of room-temperature aqueous Zn-S batteries.

Interface synergistic stabilization of zinc anodes via polyacrylic acid doped polyvinyl alcohol ultra-thin coating

Aqueous batteries have been considered as an alternative to lithium-ion batteries due to their advantages such as high energy density and high safety. Aqueous zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) have attracted particular attention due to the high capacity, low cost and low redox potential of zinc metal. However, zinc metal anodes suffer from problems such as dendrite growth, hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and surface corrosion, which can lead to unfavorable effects, including reduced battery capacity and shorter cycle life. Herein, we constructed a PVA@PAA protective layer on the zinc anode surface by combining polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with polyacrylic acid (PAA). This protective layer not only physically inhibits the growth of dendrites but also suppresses HER and surface corrosion via isolation of the electrolyte from the zinc anode. Furthermore, theoretical calculations indicate that PAA enhances the reactivity of PVA, increasing zinc ion transport rates and improving ionic conductivity. With the above synergistic effects, the symmetric batteries could achieve an ultra-long stable cycling of 2400 h at 3 mA·cm−2. Furthermore, this research lays the technical groundwork for the expanded applications of ZIBs on a larger scale.

Dual effect of organic/inorganic artificial protective layer to construct high-performance zinc metal anode

Owing to their high specific capacity, low cost, environmental friendliness and safety, aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) have been one of the most popular battery systems. Nevertheless, dendrite growth, corrosion, hydrogen evolution and passivation on the anode side can seriously affect the lifetime of AZIBs. In view of this, this work constructs a protective layer compounded from inorganic (titanium silicate molecular sieve, TS) and organic (polyacrylonitrile, PAN) materials to realize the high-performance and dendrite-free zinc anode (Zn@PAN-TS). The cyano group in PAN has a coordination effect with zinc ions, which facilitates the transport of zinc ions. The porous TS can regulate the zinc ion flux through ion-confinement effect. Thus, the PAN-TS composite protective layer provides fast and orderly ion transport channels that modulate the uniform deposition of zinc through dual effect. Moreover, the experimental results show that the Zn@PAN-TS 50:1 anode has the best electrochemical performance. The corresponding MnO2 full cell maintained a high discharge capacity of 217.2 mAh·g−1 with a high retention rate of 81.1 % after 500 cycles at 0.3 A·g−1. This strategy offers fresh insight into constructing multifunctional hybrid interface for dendrite-free AZIBs.

Ion Sieve Interface Assisted Zinc Anode with High Zinc Utilization and Ultralong Cycle Life for 61 Wh/kg Mild Aqueous Pouch Battery.

The cycling stability of a thin zinc anode under high zinc utilization has a critical impact on the overall energy density and practical lifetime of zinc ion batteries. In this study, an ion sieve protection layer (ZnSnF@Zn) was constructed in situ on the surface of a zinc anode by chemical replacement. The ion sieve facilitated the transport and desolvation of zinc ions at the anode/electrolyte interface, reduced the zinc deposition overpotential, and inhibited side reactions. Under a 50% zinc utilization, the symmetrical battery with this protection layer maintained stable cycling for 250 h at 30 mA cm-2. Matched with high-load self-supported vanadium-based cathodes (18-20 mg cm-2), the coin battery with 50% zinc utilization possessed an energy density retention of 94.3% after 1000 cycles at 20 mA cm-2. Furthermore, the assembled pouch battery delivered a whole energy density of 61.3 Wh kg-1, surpassing the highest mass energy density among reported mild zinc batteries, and retained 76.7% of the energy density and 85.3% (0.53 Ah) of the capacity after 300 cycles.

An extended substrate screening strategy enabling a low lattice mismatch for highly reversible zinc anodes

Aqueous zinc batteries possess intrinsic safety and cost-effectiveness, but dendrite growth and side reactions of zinc anodes hinder their practical application. Here, we propose the extended substrate screening strategy for stabilizing zinc anodes and verify its availability (dsubstrate: dZn(002) = 1: 1→dsubstrate: dZn(002)=n:1, n = 1, 2). From a series of calculated phyllosilicates satisfying dsubstrate ≈ 2dZn(002), we select vermiculite, which has the lowest lattice mismatch (0.38%) reported so far, as the model to confirm the effectiveness of “2dZn(002)” substrates for zinc anodes protection. Then, we develop a monolayer porous vermiculite through a large-scale and green preparation as a functional coating for zinc electrodes. Unique “planting Zn(002) seeds” mechanism for “2dZn(002)” substrates is revealed to induce the oriented growth of zinc deposits. Additionally, the coating effectively inhibits side reactions and promotes zinc ion transport. Consequently, the modified symmetric cells operate stably for over 300 h at a high current density of 50 mA cm−2. This work extends the substrate screening strategy and advances the understanding of zinc nucleation mechanism, paving the way for realizing high-rate and stable zinc-metal batteries.

Thermally Healable Electrolyte‐Electrode Interface for Sustainable Quasi‐Solid Zinc‐ion Batteries

AbstractQuasi‐solid zinc‐ion batteries using hydrogel electrolytes show great potential in energy storage devices owing to their intrinsic safety, fewer side reactions and wide electrochemical windows. However, the dendrite issues on the zinc anodes cannot be fundamentally eliminated and the intrinsic anode‐electrolyte interfacial interspace is rarely investigated. Here, we design a dynamically healable gelatin‐based hydrogel electrolyte with a highly reversible sol‐gel transition, which can construct a conformal electrode‐electrolyte interface and further evolve into a stable solid‐solid interface by in situ solidification. The unique helical gelatin chain structure provides a uniform channel for zinc ion transport by the bridging effect of sulfate groups. As a consequence, the dynamically healable interface enables dendrite‐free zinc anodes and repeatedly repairs the anode‐electrolyte interfacial interspaces by the reversible sol‐gel transition of gelatin electrolyte to retain long‐lasting protection for sustainable zinc‐ion batteries.