Texturing (002)-Oriented Zinc Atop a Cotton Cloth for High-Performance Zn-Ion Batteries

Abstract

Zn-ion batteries emerge as a promising alternative to conventional Li-ion batteries due to their superior environmental friendliness and high safety, making them suitable for sustainable energy storage in various applications. However, concerns persist regarding the limitations of Zn-ion batteries, such as uncontrolled dendrite growth and side reactions. In this study, the electroplating method was employed to deposit (002) plane-dominated textures on a modified cotton cloth substrate, which consists of a silver conductive layer atop a cotton supporting layer. The electroplating current density and time are critical for the fabrication of dense and compact (002) Zn textures. The optimized condition for this process involves a current density of 40 mA/cm² and an electroplating time of 30 minutes. Compared to (101)-dominated Zn anodes, the (002)-dominated electrode demonstrates faster deposition kinetics and lower charge transfer resistance, enabling denser and more uniform Zn deposition. Additionally, the (002)-dominated electrode also exhibits an enhanced ability to inhibit side reactions in the mild aqueous electrolyte, further improving the lifespan of Zn-ion batteries. This work demonstrates the feasibility of using ordinary cotton cloth as a substrate for electroplating (002)-dominated Zn, thereby expanding the potential applications of Zn-ion batteries.