Zn Deposits Research Articles

Petroleum evolution and its genetic relationship with the associated Jinding Pb[sbnd]Zn deposit in Lanping Basin, Southwest China

The spatial association of hydrocarbons with metalliferous ore deposits is found worldwide and is particularly common to MVT PbZn deposits. Heavy oil and bitumen are found in the Jinding PbZn deposit within the Lanping Basin, South China. However, the temporal and genetic associations between hydrocarbons and the deposit are still controversial. To this end, integrating Raman analysis, ReOs geochronology and transmission electron microscopy analysis of the bitumen and in situ S isotope analyses of the sulfide, the petroleum evolution of the Jinding reservoir and its genetic relationship with the PbZn deposits were discussed. Bitumen ReOs data from this study and published works indicate that the late Triassic shales underwent two distinct oil-generation events before mineralisation (~25 Ma), with initial oil generation occurring during the early Cretaceous (~116 Ma) and the second during the early Paleogene (ca. 68–59 Ma). These two ages agree with the modelled thermal history of the Jinding reservoir. Combining the oil-before-ore timing sequence, high metal abundance of the bitumen, two negative sulfur isotope peaks of the sulfide and high S/C atomic ratio of the bitumen from the Jinding deposit, the oil-containing aqueous solutions were considered as one metal carrier during the hydrocarbon migration and accumulation; further, bacterial sulfate reduction and thermo-chemically induced sulfate reduction processes could have participated in the supply of reduced sulfur for the PbZn deposit precipitation.

Understanding and Mastering Multiphysical Fields Toward Dendrite‐Free Aqueous Zinc Batteries

AbstractAqueous zinc batteries (AZBs) have emerged as promising candidates for next‐generation grid‐scale energy storage due to their excellent safety, environmental friendliness, and abundance of Zn metal. However, undesired dendrite growth on Zn anodes, resulting from uneven Zn plating/stripping, leads to poor durability and low Coulombic efficiency, posing significant challenges for the practical application of AZBs. Multiple physical fields, the intrinsic driving force governing the distribution of electrons and ions, significantly impact Zn deposition behavior. The underlying mechanisms and regulation strategies related to this phenomenon has not been fully reviewed. This comprehensive review focuses on revealing the key physical fields influencing Zn deposition (including ionic flux, electric field, stress field, and temperature field) and summarizes the most effective control methods. Each approach is thoroughly scrutinized, highlighting its operational mechanisms, benefits, and limitations. Furthermore, the challenges and potential pathways for developing durable Zn anodes are outlined. Through in‐depth analysis of the influences of multiphysical fields on Zn deposition behavior, this review sets the foundation for enhancing the performance of Zn anodes, thereby supporting the advancement of Zn batteries commercialization.

Dual zinco-phobic/-philic ferroelectric nanorods coated mesh for stable Zn anode

Aqueous Zn-ion batteries are emerging as a promising option for energy storage systems due to their safety and environmental benefits. However, their stability and reversibility are often hindered by dendrite growth and interfacial side reactions. In this study, we introduce an innovative strategy to address these issues by engineering an artificial interfacial layer (AIL) on Zn anode surface. This AIL is composed of a dual zinco-phobic/-philic ferroelectric nanorods (FE NRs) mesh, which contrasts with the traditional BaTiO3 nanoparticles. The BTO NRs, particularly those with exposed P4/mmm (100) and (211) facets enriched with oxygen vacancy, facilitate a partial phase transition from the FE tetragonal P4mm phase to the paraelectric tetragonal P4/mmm phase, thereby creating dual zinco-phobic/-philic sites. Additionally, the integration of microchannels within the FE BTO NRs mesh can efficiently modulate the electric field distribution and Zn2+ concentration, leading to a more uniform Zn deposition, as conformed by electrochemical simulations. The Zn anode coated with the FE BTO NRs mesh exhibits impressive performance, achieving an ultralong cycle life of 3050 h at 1 mA cm−2 and 1mAh cm−2. It sustains a Coulombic efficiency exceeding 99.8 % over 2000 cycles, highlighting its exceptional reversibility. These findings underscore the potential of the dual zinco-phobic/-philic FE NRs mesh in overcoming the challenges faced in aqueous metal-ion batteries, showcasing its versatility and the significant performance enhancements it can offer.

Comprehensive Understanding of Steric‐Hindrance Effect on the Trade‐Off Between Zinc Ions Transfer and Reduction Kinetics to Enable Highly Reversible and Stable Zn Anodes

AbstractThe electrode interface concentration polarization attributed to the contradiction between sluggish mass transfer process and rapid electrochemical reduction kinetics significantly restricts the practical application of Zn anode. Creating a moderate Zn ions transfer and reduction chemistry is essential for durable zinc‐ion batteries. In this work, this trade‐off effect is realized by selecting large‐size 4‐Aminomethyl cyclohexanecarboxylic acid (AMCA) molecule as the electrolyte additive. Intriguingly, AMCA molecules reorganize the Zn2+ solvation structure via the robust coordination with Zn2+ and reconstruct H‐bond networks, giving a pulled desolvation process. Meanwhile, AMCA enlarges the Zn2+ solvation size with a push force, confining the rapid electrochemical reduction kinetics. The balanced chemical environment is maintained via the moderate pull‐push interplay. Besides, AMCA can anchor on zinc surface to create a water‐poor microenvironment, fostering homogeneous Zn (002) deposition and effectively restricting water‐induced side‐reactions. Notably, the Zn||Zn symmetric cell with AMCA operates stably over 167 days at 20 mA cm−2. Moreover, the Zn||VOX full cell employed AMCA ensures outstanding capacity retention of 99.15% after 590 cycles at 2 A g−1, even with low N/P (4.3), lean electrolyte (50 µL mAh−1) and ultrathin Zn foil of 10 µm. This work reveals unique insights into the balanced interfacial chemistry design toward high‐performance zinc batteries.

Highly Reversible Zn Anode Design Through Oriented ZnO(002) Facets.

The practical implementation of aqueous Zn-ion batteries presents formidable hurdles, including uncontrolled dendrite growth, water-induced side reactions, suboptimal Zn metal utilization, and intricate Zn anode manufacturing. Here, large-scale construction of a highly oriented ZnO(002) lattice plane on Zn anode (ZnO(002)@Zn) with thermodynamic inertia and kinetic zincophilicity is designed to address such problems. Both theoretical calculations and experiment results elucidate that the ZnO(002)@Zn possesses high Zn chemical affinity, hydrogen evolution reaction suppression, and dendrite-free deposition ability due to the abundant lattice oxygen species in ZnO(002) and its low lattice mismatch with Zn(002). These features synergistically promote ion transport and enable homogeneous Zn deposition. Consequently, the ZnO(002)@Zn anode displays a stable and prolonged cycling lifespan exceeding 500h even under a larger depth of discharge (85.6%) and realizes an impressive average Coulombic efficiency of 99.7%. Moreover, its efficacy is also evident in V2O5-cathode coin cells and pouch cells with not only high discharge capacity but also exceptional cycling stability. This integrated approach presents a promising avenue for addressing the challenges associated with Zn metal anodes, thereby advancing the prospects of aqueous Zn-ion battery technologies.

Electro-discharge deposition of zinc powder on 316L stainless steel: Synthesis, deposition rate, and characterization

This study investigated the potential of powder-mixed electrical discharge machining (PM-EDM) to deposit metallic powder, specifically zinc powder, on 316L stainless steel (316L SS). This study aimed to evaluate the effect of zinc (Zn) deposition on 316L SS for oil and gas application. Minitab 19 software was employed to design the experiments using screening DOE option and to analyse and model the results through screening response optimiser from Minitab 19 software. Surface morphology, microstructure and coating thickness were examined through field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results suggested an improvement in the coating thickness with an increase in powder concentration and discharge current. An average coating thickness of 91.47 μm was achieved in samples fabricated at 20 g/L powder concentration. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the formation of hard carbides, such as Cr3C2 and TiC, on the PM-EDMed 316L SS surface. Further characterisation through energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirmed the deposition of both the tool electrode and Zn powder particles. The adhesion test confirmed that all specimens failed under 100% adhesive failure. The hydrophobicity analysis confirmed that the coated surfaces are hydrophobic. Significant improvement has been established for microhardness, wear resistance and corrosion performance. Screening results revealed that discharge current, pulse-on time, and powder concentration were the most significant parameters. The average predicted errors of 2.055%, 6.782%, and 2.396% for material deposition rate, tool wear rate, and surface roughness were achieved, respectively. These affirmed the excellent reproducibility of the model developed. This study presents a methodology for the formation of carbide- and oxide-based coatings specifically for oil and gas applications (flanges and connectors).

Synchronous Modulation of H-bond Interaction and Steric Hindrance via Bio-molecular Additive Screening in Zn Batteries.

In addressing challenges such as side reaction and dendrite formation, electrolyte modification with bio-molecule sugar species has emerged as a promising avenue for Zn anode stabilization. Nevertheless, considering the structural variability of sugar, a comprehensive screening strategy is meaningful yet remains elusive. Herein, we report the usage of sugar additives as a representative of bio-molecules to develop a screening descriptor based on the modulation of the hydrogen bond component and electron transfer kinetics. It is found that xylo-oligosaccharide (Xos) with the highest H-bond acceptor ratio enables efficient water binding, affording stable Zn/electrolyte interphase to alleviate hydrogen evolution. Meanwhile, sluggish reduction originated from the steric hindrance of Xos contributes to optimized Zn deposition. With such a selected additive in hand, the Zn||ZnVO full cells demonstrate durable operation. This study is anticipated to provide a rational guidance in sugar additive selection for aqueous Zn batteries.

Regulating Zn Deposition Manner by Confining the Reactivity of Free Water in the Electric Double Layer.

Aqueous Zn ion batteries (AZIBs) are promising candidates of next-generation energy storage devices with high safety and theoretical capacity. However, the irreversibility of metallic Zn anode, attributed to dendrite growth and water decomposition, severely limits the cycling durability of AZIBs and restricts their further development. Herein, a facile surface engineering strategy is put forward to tackle the issue of poor reversibility of the Zn anode. Benzotriazole (BTA) is employed as a functional additive of ZnSO4 electrolyte to confine the reactivity of free water situated in the electric double layer (EDL). Experimental results and theoretical simulation reveal that BTA can preferiencially adsorb onto the Zn surface to uniform Zn2+ ion distribution and alleviate H2O-involved side reactions like hydrogen evolution, and surface passivation. Consequently, in BTA-modulated aqueous electrolyte, the lifespan of the Zn anode is extended from 170 h to 1092 h at 1 mA cm-2/1 mAh cm-2. The reversibility improvement of Zn anode also benefits the cycling durability of full devices including supercapacitors and batteries. Zn||I₂ batteries assembled in as-designed electrolyte witness only 11.3% capacity decay over 17000 cycles at 1 A g-1, far outstripping that observed in ZnSO4 counterpart (~ 4675 cycles).

Constructing Cyclic Hydrogen Bonding to Suppress Side Reactions and Dendrite Formation on Zinc Anodes.

The high electrochemical reactivity of H2O molecules and zinc metal results in severe side reactions and dendrite formation on zinc anodes. Here we demonstrate that these issues can be addressed by using N-hydroxymethylacetamide (NHA) as additives in 2 M ZnSO4 electrolytes. The addition of NHA molecules, acting as both a hydrogen bond donor and acceptor, enables the formation of cyclic hydrogen bonding with H2O molecules. This interaction disrupts the existing hydrogen bonding networks between H2O molecules, hindering proton transport, and containing H2O molecules within the cyclic hydrogen bonding structure to prevent deprotonation. Additionally, NHA molecules show a preference for adsorption on the (101) crystal surface of zinc metal. This preferential adsorption reduces the surface energy of the (101) plane, facilitating the homogeneous Zn deposition along the (101) direction. Thus, the NHA enables Zn||Zn symmetric cell with a cycle lifespan of 1100 hours at 5 mA cm-2 and Zn||Cu asymmetric cell with a high Coulombic efficiency over 99.5 %. Moreover, the NHA-modified Zn||AC zinc ion hybrid capacitor is capable of sustaining 15000 cycles at 2 A g-1. This electrolyte additive engineering presents a promising strategy to enhance the performance and broaden the application potential of zinc metal-based energy storage devices.

Sieving‐type Electric Double Layer with Hydrogen Bond Interlocking to Stable Zinc Metal Anode

AbstractThe stability of aqueous zinc metal batteries is significantly affected by side reactions and dendrite growth on the anode interface, which primarily originate from water and anions. Herein, we introduce a multi H‐bond site additive, 2, 2′‐Sulfonyldiethanol (SDE), into an aqueous electrolyte to construct a sieving‐type electric double layer (EDL) by hydrogen bond interlock in order to address these issues. On the one hand, SDE replaces H2O and SO42− anions that are adsorbed on the zinc anode surface, expelling H2O/SO42− from the EDL and thereby reducing the content of H2O/SO42− at the interface. On the other hand, when Zn2+ are de‐solvated at the interface during the plating, the strong hydrogen bond interaction between SDE and H2O/SO42− can trap H2O/SO42− from the EDL, further decreasing their content at the interface. This effectively sieves them out of the zinc anode interface and inhibits the side reactions. Moreover, the unique characteristics of trapped SO42− anions can restrict their diffusion, thereby enhancing the transference number of Zn2+ and promoting dendrite‐free deposition and growth of Zn. Consequently, utilizing an SDE/ZnSO4 electrolyte enables excellent cycling stability in Zn//Zn symmetrical cells and Zn//MnO2 full cells with lifespans exceeding 3500 h and 2500 cycles respectively.

ZnO Nanoparticle Assisted Liquid Metal for Dendrite-Free Zn Metal Anodes.

Dendrite growth and interfacial side reactions on Zn anode seriously affect the safety and service life of Zn ions batteries. Interface engineering is an effective way to solve these problems. Here, a liquid metal-ZnO composite coating with high ionic conductivity is creatively designed, which not only reduces the Zn2+ diffusion barrier but also increases the hydrogen evolution overpotential, thereby eliminating dendrite growth behavior and corrosion on the modified Zn anode. Moreover, its unique structure induces Zn deposition into the inner of coating, which can effectively avoid the volume expansion in the deposit layer of Zn anode. Therefore, it can cycle for 3000 h at an ultra-small polarization of 28 mV at 1 mA cm-2, and the microbattery assembled in combination with the MnO2 cathode also maintains 2000 cycles with high Coulomb efficiency, providing a general idea for the development of the next generation of rechargeable metal batteries.

Eco-friendly multi-function electrolyte additive enabling dendrite-free Zn anodes for rechargeable aqueous zinc batteries

Aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) are increasingly developing on account of their safety, high energy density, affordability and scalability. Nevertheless, the zinc anode encounters notable obstacles, including disruptive side reactions, unregulated dendrite growth and persistent hydrogen evolution. These challenges present barriers to the widespread adoption of AZIBs technology in practical applications. This study incorporates aspartame (ASPT) into the aqueous electrolyte to establish a novel interface between the anode and electrolyte, improve steric effects, and adjust the solvation structure of Zn2+. Theoretical computations elucidate how the ASPT additive interacts with both the electrolyte and Zinc anode. Experimental findings additionally validate the significant role of ASPT in concurrently managing the chemistry between the electrolyte environment and Zinc interface. Accordingly, Zn//Zn symmetric cells exhibit an enduring operational lifespan exceeding 3600 hours under a current of 1 mA cm−2 and 1 mA cm−2. Moreover, Zn//Ti asymmetric cells demonstrate prolonged durability with highly efficient Zn deposition and dissolution processes sustained over more than 300 cycles. Finally, the Zn//MnO2 full cells, upon assembly, demonstrate consistent cycling stability and retain high capacity throughout their operational cycle.

Zincophilic Tellurium Interface Layer Enables Fast Kinetics for Ultralow Overpotential and Highly Reversible Zinc Anode

AbstractCorrosion, hydrogen evolution, and dendrite formation seriously affect the Zn anode, significantly limiting the practical application of aqueous zinc ion batteries. Herein, the Zn anode surface is innovatively reconstructed by decorating a zincophilic tellurium layer (Te@Zn) to enhance the Zn deposition kinetics. Theoretical calculations and experimental characterizations demonstrate that the zincophilic Te provides an abundance of anchoring sites for Zn nucleation and homogenizes the interface electric field to suppress dendrite growth. The Te@Zn anode exhibits an ultralow overpotential of 14.8 mV at 1.0 mA cm−2 and 1.0 mAh cm−2 with high Coulombic efficiency, and maintains ultra‐stable operation for over 3600 h at 0.2 mA cm−2 and 0.2 mAh cm−2. The Te@Zn||KVOH full cells and soft–pack batteries also deliver a brilliant rate capability and long cycling stability. The interfacial manipulation strategy using the Te layer on Zn anode surface paves the way for large‐scale energy storage applications.

Multifunctional Self-Assembled Bio-Interfacial Layers for High-Performance Zinc Metal Anodes.

Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion (Zn-ion) batteries are widely regarded as important candidates for next-generation energy storage systems for low-cost renewable energy storage. However, the development of Zn-ion batteries is currently facing significant challenges due to uncontrollable Zn dendrite growth and severe parasitic reactions on Zn metal anodes. Herein, we report an effective strategy to improve the performance of aqueous Zn-ion batteries by leveraging the self-assembly of bovine serum albumin (BSA) into a bilayer configuration on Zn metal anodes. BSA's hydrophilic and hydrophobic fragments form unique and intelligent ion channels, which regulate the migration of Zn ions and facilitate their desolvation process, significantly diminishing parasitic reactions on Zn anodes and leading to a uniform Zn deposition along the Zn (002) plane. Notably, the Zn||Zn symmetric cell with BSA as the electrolyte additive demonstrated a stable cycling performance for up to 2400 hours at a high current density of 10 mA cm-2. This work demonstrates the pivotal role of self-assembled protein bilayer structures in improving the durability of Zn anodes in aqueous Zn-ion batteries.

Nitrogen and Oxygen Co‐Doped Graphene Quantum Dots as a Trace Amphipathic Additive for Dendrite‐Free Zn Anodes

AbstractThe practical implementation of aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (AZIBs) has encountered obstacles stemming from the limited reversibility of the zinc anode, primarily due to dendrite proliferation and water‐induced reactions occurring. In this investigation, a novel bifunctional interphase is proposed by integrating nitrogen and oxygen group graphene quantum dot (N‐O‐GQD) additives into the electrolyte. Experimental results and theoretical calculations demonstrate that the amphipathic N‐O‐GQD additive enhances the stability of the electrode by forming a protection layer on Zn surface. The zincophilic and hydrophobic nitrogen function groups stick to the surface of Zn electrodes to form a hydrophobic layer that shields water molecules from the electrode and promotes the uniform deposition of Zn. The hydrophilic hydroxyl function groups are exposed to the electrolyte to improve the compatibility at the electrode/electrolyte interface. As a result, the amphipathic N‐O‐GQD additive enables a robust cycling performance at high depth of discharge (DOD). Significantly, cells incorporating N‐O‐GQDs demonstrate a remarkable Coulombic efficiency of 99.7% over 900 cycles and sustain dendrite‐free cycling for 564 h (DOD = 51%). Particularly noteworthy is the performance of the modified Zn||ZnVO full cell with robust cycling behavior, enduring 4 000 cycles at 10 A g−1.

Zn Isotope Tracing Unveils Primary Anthropogenic Zn Sources in Glacial Cryoconite of the High Asian Mountains

AbstractZinc (Zn) exerts a significant influence on the global environment, terrestrial ecosystems, and human health. The application of Zn isotopes (δ66Zn) has been suggested as a potent tool for tracing environmental contamination. However, studies focusing on Zn isotope tracing within the cryosphere areas are notably limited. Here we present the first data set on Zn isotopes in glacial cryoconite, based on observations over a large regional scale in High Asian Mountains (including Tibetan Plateau (TP) and its surroundings of western China). The results showed that glacial cryoconite had a general heavy Zn isotopic signature in various TP locations, with δ66Zn values ranging from −0.22‰ to +0.87‰. Employing the MixSIAR model, the overall Zn contribution source to the cryoconite was mineral dust (36%) > coal burning (33%) > non‐exhaust traffic emissions (22%) > industrial smelting (10%). We ascertained that anthropogenic sources account for the primary contribution (about 60%–73%) of Zn inputs in all glacial locations, with coal burning emerging as the foremost anthropogenic contributor (mean 33%). Anthropogenic Zn in various TP locations was primarily derived from Zn emissions resulting from coal combustion, though it is also predominantly influenced by industrial smelting source in cryoconite of the Tianshan Mountains. Our results aligned with coal combustion data from the energy inventory of western China, suggesting that regional coal burning likely represents the foremost source of atmospheric Zn pollutant emission and deposition in the High Asia mountain glaciers.

Bi-Functional Interfacial Modification enables Highly-Exposed Zn(002) Crystal Facet towards Durable Zn Metal Batteries.

Zn-ion batteries (ZIBs) have garnered growing interest in large-scale energy storage devices for the high safety, high theoretical capacity and low electrochemical potential. Nevertheless, their widespread applications are significantly impeded by dendrite formation, hydrogen evolution and corrosion reactions of Zn anodes. Herein, a bi-functional polyacrylic acid (PAA) modified-Zn anode (Zn-PAA) is designed to concurrently inhibit Zn dendrite formation and alleviate side reactions. The bi-functional PAA coating not only selectively acid-etches the active Zn crystal facets to guide the planar deposition along the highly-exposed Zn(002) crystal facet, but also facilitate uniform Zn deposition through coordination between the polymer functional groups and Zn2+. Meanwhile, the electrically-insulated PAA protective layer effectively separates Zn anodes from the electrolyte and modulates the solvation structure of Zn2+.6H2O, significantly suppressing side reactions. Consequently, the assembled Zn-PAA//Zn-PAA symmetrical cell delivers an outstanding cycling stability of 1600 h at 1 mA cm-2 and 1 mAh cm-2. The assembled KVO//Zn-PAA full cell shows exceptional cycling stability over 1500 cycles at 2.0 A g-1 with a high Coulombic efficiency approaching 100%. The facile bi-functional surface modification strategy, which enables to finely tune the crystal facet texture and ion distribution manner, opens up a groundbreaking path towards safe and durable ZIBs.

Dual-phase interface engineering via parallel modulation strategy for highly reversible Zn metal batteries

The reversibility and stability of aqueous Zn metal batteries (AZMBs) are largely limited by Zn dendrites and interfacial parasitic reactions. Herein, we propose a parallel modulation strategy to boost the reversibility of the Zn anode by introducing N,N,N’,N’-tetramethylchloroformamidinium hexafluorophosphate (TCFH) as an additive in the electrolyte. TCFH is composed of PF6− and TN+ with opposite charges. PF6− can spontaneously induce the in-situ generation of ZnF2 solid electrolyte interface (SEI) on the anode, which can improve the transport kinetics of Zn2+ at the interface, thus promoting the rapid and uniform deposition of Zn as well as inhibiting the growth of dendrites. In addition, TN+ is enriched at the anode surface during Zn deposition through the anchoring effect, which brings a reconfiguration of the ion/molecule distribution. The anchored-TN+ reduces the concentrations of H2O and SO42−, sufficiently restraining the parasitic reaction. Thanks to the dual-phase interface engineering constructed of PF6− and TN+ in parallel, the symmetric cell with the proposed electrolyte survives long cycling stability over 750 h at 20 mA cm−2, 10 mAh cm−2. This study offers a distinct viewpoint to the multidimensional optimization of Zn anodes for high-performance AZMBs.

Halogenated Solvation Structure and Preferred Zn (002) Deposition via Trace Additive towards High Reversibility for Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries

Tremendous progress has been achieved in cathode materials for aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs), however their practical applications are hindered by the poor cycling stability of Zn anode. Herein, amphiphilic choline bromine (ChBr) is introduced as additive into highly-concentrated ZnSO4 aqueous electrolyte, which not only regulates the traditional Zn2+ solvation structure but also establishes an electrostatic shielding layer at electrolyte-anode interface. Compared to the pristine 3 M ZnSO4 electrolyte, ChBr-modified ZnSO4 electrolyte (ZSO-ChBr) is proven effective in promoting the reversibility of zinc plating/stripping and the preferred growth of Zn (002) plane, as well as suppressing the hydrogen evolution and side reactions on Zn anode surface. As a result, Zn||Zn symmetric cell in optimal ZSO-ChBr electrolyte could harvest a remarkable lifespan over 6000 h at 5 mA cm−2 and 1 mAh cm−2, besides a highly-reversible zinc plating/stripping process over 1500 cycles was achieved in Zn||Cu asymmetric cell. Moreover, the Zn||MnO2 full cell could exhibit an excellent rate capability and the cycling stability with a capacity retention of 80% after 400 cycles. This work provides an integrated strategy of electrolyte engineering to elevate the desolvation kinetics of Zn2+ at anode-electrolyte interface and enhance the cycling stability of Zn anode, effectively improving the electrochemical performances of aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) and promoting the development of various energy storage systems.

Interfacial space confinement engineering toward ultrastable all-climate aqueous zinc ion batteries

The interfacial instability, particularly uncontrollable Zn nucleation and deposition, significantly impeding the commercialization of aqueous zinc ion batteries (ZIBs). Herein, we propose an interfacial space confinement strategy to enable the dendrite-free anode, specifically through constructing a zincophilic buffer layer based on hollow Sn@C. The porous Sn@C contributes to modify the electrical double layer structure, which greatly alleviates the concentration polarization during high-rate plating. In-situ experimental results demonstrate the inhibited H2O-mediated parasitic side reactions and the absence of dendrite deposition morphology. Based on the improved thermodynamics and kinetics, zincophilic buffer layers can deliver low nucleation overpotential (20 mV), ultrastable cycle life (> 5000 h), and excellent zinc utilization rate (62.4%). Importantly, the full batteries with zincophilic buffer layer exhibit excellent electrochemical stability over -40 to 70 °C, pushing forward the construction of advanced all-climate ZIBs.