Spatial Confinement and Induced Deposition of ZnHCF in 3D Structure for Ultrahigh‐Rate and Dendrite‐Free Zn Anodes
Gang Ding, Qiushao Yang, Wenyuan Zhang, Jinwen Fu, Renle Tong, Yongbao Feng, Wenbin Gong, Pan Xue, Qiulong Li
Abstract
Abstract Aqueous Zn‐metal batteries (AZBs) are thought as highly prospective candidates for large‐scale energy‐storage systems because of their abundant natural resources, low cost, high safety, and environmentally friendly. Nevertheless, the key problems of AZBs are the uncontrollable zinc dendrites growth and water‐induced erosion faced by zinc anodes. Therefore, reducing the hydrophilicity of zinc anode and introducing the zincophilic sites are the availably strategy. Herein, 3D highly‐conductive host is developed to inhibit Zn dendrites growth, which have a porous structure consisting of graphene and carbon nanotubes embedded with a zincophilic nucleation sites of Zn Prussian blue analogs (ZnHCF@3D‐GC). The inner ZnHCF possess minimized nucleation barriers, which can serve as favorable nucleation sites, and 3D host provide a buffer interspace to allow for even more high‐capacity Zn plating. Additionally, density functional theory results show that ZnHCF exhibits a strong Zn binding energy and high adsorption energy of Zn (002) plane, which can guide Zn horizontal deposition in the 3D host. As a result, the assembled symmetrical cell is able to stabilize 900 cycles at an ultrahigh current density of 100 mA cm −2 . Zn‐ZnHCF@3D‐GC//MnO 2 and Zn‐ZnHCF@3D‐GC//ZnHCF full cells can be stably cycled 1000 cycles at 2.0 A g −1 .