Surface Transformation Enables a Dendrite‐Free Zinc‐Metal Anode in Nonaqueous Electrolyte. Issue 34 (21st July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Huang, Fanyang; Li, Xinpeng; Zhang, Yuchen; Jie, Yulin; Mu, Xulin; Yang, Chaoran; Li, Wanxia; Chen, Yawei; Liu, Yang; Wang, Shuai; Ge, Binghui; Cao, Ruiguo; Ren, Xiaodi; Yan, Pengfei; Li, Qi; Xu, Dongsheng; Jiao, Shuhong
• Is Part Of: Advanced materials. Volume 34:Issue 34(2022)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2022-07-21
• Subjects: high Coulombic efficiency -- nonaqueous electrolytes -- surface transformation -- Zn‐metal anodes; Materials -- Periodicals; Chemical vapor deposition -- Periodicals; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1002/adma.202203710
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0935-9648

Abstract

Abstract: Significant challenges remain in developing rechargeable zinc batteries mainly because of reversibility problems on zinc‐metal anodes. The dendritic growth and hydrogen evolution on zinc electrodes are major obstacles to overcome in developing practical and safe zinc batteries. Here, a dendrite‐free and hydrogen‐free Zn‐metal anode with high Coulombic efficiency up to 99.6% over 300 cycles is realized in a newly designed nonaqueous electrolyte, which comprises an inexpensive zinc salt, zinc acetate, and a green low‐cost solvent, dimethyl sulfoxide. Surface transformation on Cu substrate plays a critical role in facilitating the dendrite‐free deposition process, which lowers the diffusion energy barrier of the Zn atoms, leading to a uniform and compact thin film for zinc plating. Furthermore, in situ electrochemical atomic force microscopy reveals the plating process via a layer‐by‐layer growth mechanism and the stripping process through an edge‐dissolution mechanism. In addition, Zn||Mo6 S8 full cells exhibit excellent electrochemical performance in terms of cycling stability and rate capability. This work presents a new opportunity to develop nonaqueous rechargeable zinc batteries. Abstract : A highly reversible and dendrite‐free Zn‐metal anode is achieved by the surface transformation of Cu substrate in a nonaqueous electrolyte. Meanwhile, the layer‐by‐layer growth mechanism and edge‐to‐center stripping behavior during the plating and stripping processes is revealed by in situ electrochemical atomic force microscopy (EC‐AFM).