Artificial Solid Electrolyte Interphases Stabilized Zn Metal Anodes for High-Rate and Long-Lifespan Aqueous Batteries

Abstract

The practical application of aqueous Zn-metal batteries (AZMBs) faces challenges primarily due to uncontrolled growth of zinc dendrites and harmful parasitic reactions caused by water at the Zn-electrolyte interface. To address these issues, a multifunctional interface using indium oxide (In₂O₃) with strong zincophilic and hydrophilic properties has been designed through atomic layer deposition to enable dendrite-free Zn deposition. Experimental and theoretical findings reveal that a highly zincophilic surface with excellent Zn²⁺ adsorption forms with the In₂O₃ layer. This significantly reduces the nucleation overpotential and promotes a more uniform Zn²⁺ flux during the electroplating growth. Additionally, the wide band gap of In₂O₃ effectively prevents electron transfer between the interfacial layers, while its corrosion resistance helps to inhibit hydrogen evolution and side reactions. Notably, the In₂O₃@Zn symmetric battery demonstrates an impressive cycle life of over 2800 h, surpassing other interphase modification strategies that utilize different inorganic compounds. The In₂O₃@Zn||NVO full cell reaches a 93 % capacity retention over 1500 cycles at 4 A g⁻¹. Using In₂O₃ as an artificial solid electrolyte interphase on Zn anodes offers a viable approach for developing dendrite-free Zn anodes and enhancing the electrochemical performance of AZMBs.