A Corrosion-Resistant and Dendrite-Free Zinc Metal Anode in Aqueous Systems

Daliang Han; Shichao Wu; Siwei Zhang; Yaqian Deng; Changjun Cui; Lina Zhang; Yu Long; Huan Li; Ying Tao; Zhe Weng; Quan-Hong Yang; Feiyu Kang

doi:10.1002/smll.202001736

A Corrosion-Resistant and Dendrite-Free Zinc Metal Anode in Aqueous Systems

Small. 2020 Jul;16(29):e2001736. doi: 10.1002/smll.202001736. Epub 2020 Jun 22.

Authors

Daliang Han^{1

2}, Shichao Wu^{1

2

3}, Siwei Zhang⁴, Yaqian Deng⁵, Changjun Cui^{1

2}, Lina Zhang^{1

2}, Yu Long^{1

2}, Huan Li^{1

2}, Ying Tao^{1

2}, Zhe Weng^{1

2}, Quan-Hong Yang^{1

2

6}, Feiyu Kang^{4

5}

Affiliations

¹ Nanoyang Group, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China.
² Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin, 300072, China.
³ Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
⁴ Shenzhen Environmental Science and New Energy Technology Engineering Laboratory, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute (TBSI), Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
⁵ Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Graphene-Based Materials, Engineering Laboratory for Functionalized Carbon Materials, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
⁶ Joint School of National University of Singapore, Tianjin University, International Campus of Tianjin University, Binhai New City, Fuzhou, 350207, China.

PMID: 32567230
DOI: 10.1002/smll.202001736

Abstract

Rechargeable aqueous zinc (Zn) ion-based energy storage systems have been reviving recently because of their low cost and high safety merits; however, they still suffer from the problems of corrosion and dendrite growth on Zn metal anodes that cause gas generation and early battery failure. Unfortunately, the corrosion problem has not received sufficient attention until now. Here, it is pioneeringly demonstrated that decorating the Zn surface with a dual-functional metallic indium (In) layer, acting as both a corrosion inhibitor and a nucleating agent, is a facile but effective strategy to suppress both drastic corrosion and dendrite growth. Symmetric cells assembled with the treated Zn electrodes can sustain up to 1500 h of plating/stripping cycles with an ultralow voltage hysteresis (54 mV), and a 5000 cycle-life is achieved for a prototype full cell. This work will instigate the further development of aqueous metal-based energy storage systems.

Keywords: corrosion inhibitors; indium; nucleating agents; zinc ion batteries; zinc ion capacitors.

Abstract

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