Regulated Zn Plating and Stripping by a Multifunctional Polymer‐Alloy Interphase Layer for Stable Zn Metal Anode

Abstract

Abstract Metallic zinc electrode with a high theoretical capacity of 820 mAh g−1 is highly considered as a promising candidate for next‐generation rechargeable batteries. However, the unavoidable hydrogen evolution, uncontrolled dendrite growth, and severe passivation reaction badly hinder its practical implementations. Herein, a robust polymer‐alloy artificial protective layer is designed to realize dendrite‐free Zn metal anode by the integration of zincophilic SnSb nanoparticles with Nafion. In comparison to the bare Zn electrode, the Nafion‐SnSb coated Zn (NFSS@Zn) electrode exhibits lower nucleation energy barrier, more uniform electric field distribution and stronger anti‐corrosion capability, thus availably suppressing the Zn dendrite growth and interfacial side reactions. As a consequence, the NFSS@Zn electrode exhibits a long cycle life over 1500 h at 1 mA cm−2 with an ultra‐low voltage hysteresis (25 mV). Meanwhile, when paired with a MnO2 cathode, the as‐prepared full cell also demonstrates stable performance for 1000 cycles at 3 A g−1. This work provides an inspired approach to boost the performance of Zn anodes.

Keywords

• aqueous Zn‐ion batteries
• polymer‐alloy interphase layers
• suppression of dendrites
• Zn anode protection