Fluoride-Based Stable Quasi-Solid-State Zinc Metal Battery with Superior Rate Capability
Zhibin Xu, Zirui Zhang, Xilong Li, Qi Dong, Yitai Qian, Zhiguo Hou
Abstract
Aqueous zinc metal batteries are limited in practical applications due to their short lifespans. Herein, a LaF 3 -coated Zn anode (LF@Zn) is investigated to induce the uniform Zn deposition and successfully build a separator-free quasi-solid-state zinc metal battery. The LF@Zn enables smooth and dendrite-free Zn deposition, owing to the homogeneous Zn 2+ flux regulated by the LaF 3 -based quasi-solid-state electrolyte. It can also suppress the corrosion side reactions by modulating the [Zn(H 2 O) 6 ] 2+ solvation sheath. The polarization of plating and stripping is relatively modest due to the reduced diffuse energy of desolvated Zn 2+ in the quasi-solid-state electrolyte. In a separator-free symmetric cell, the LF@Zn anode shows a significantly prolonged lifespan of over 1300 h at 2 mA cm –2 and a superior rate performance with only 156 mV at an ultrahigh current density of 50 mA cm –2 . A LF@Zn//VO 2 quasi-solid-state full cell exhibits outperforming rate capability and a long cyclic performance for up to 3000 cycles at 6.0 A g –1 . A stable Zn anode is established in this work with a fluoride-based quasi-solid-state electrolyte, opening up a new avenue for protecting metal anodes.