Surface Patterning of Metal Zinc Electrode with an In-Region Zincophilic Interface for High-Rate and Long-Cycle-Life Zinc Metal Anode
Tian Wang, Qiao Xi, Kai Yao, Yuhang Liu, Hao Fu, Venkata Siva Kavarthapu, Jun Kyu Lee, Shaocong Tang, Dina Fattakhova‐Rohlfing, Wei Ai, Jae Su Yu
Abstract
Abstract The undesirable dendrite growth induced by non-planar zinc (Zn) deposition and low Coulombic efficiency resulting from severe side reactions have been long-standing challenges for metallic Zn anodes and substantially impede the practical application of rechargeable aqueous Zn metal batteries (ZMBs). Herein, we present a strategy for achieving a high-rate and long-cycle-life Zn metal anode by patterning Zn foil surfaces and endowing a Zn-Indium (Zn-In) interface in the microchannels. The accumulation of electrons in the microchannel and the zincophilicity of the Zn-In interface promote preferential heteroepitaxial Zn deposition in the microchannel region and enhance the tolerance of the electrode at high current densities. Meanwhile, electron aggregation accelerates the dissolution of non-(002) plane Zn atoms on the array surface, thereby directing the subsequent homoepitaxial Zn deposition on the array surface. Consequently, the planar dendrite-free Zn deposition and long-term cycling stability are achieved (5,050 h at 10.0 mA cm −2 and 27,000 cycles at 20.0 mA cm −2 ). Furthermore, a Zn/I 2 full cell assembled by pairing with such an anode can maintain good stability for 3,500 cycles at 5.0 C, demonstrating the application potential of the as-prepared ZnIn anode for high-performance aqueous ZMBs.