Superior electrochemical performance of zinc-ion batteries with fine-grained and textured zinc anode produced by high-pressure torsion

Zinc-ion batteries are promising alternatives to lithium-ion batteries, offering advantages in safety, cost, and environmental impact. However, their performance is often limited by the functioning of the zinc anode. This study employs severe plastic deformation via the high-pressure torsion (HPT) method to enhance the electrochemical performance of zinc anodes. HPT reduced the grain size from > 1000 μm to 20 μm and introduced a (002) basal texture. The battery assembled with HPT-processed zinc demonstrated improved cycling stability, rate performance, and specific discharge capacity (>500 mAh/g at 0.5 A/g after 50 cycles), particularly at high current densities. This performance enhancement was attributed to grain-boundary and texture effects on improved ion transfer (confirmed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy), fast redox reaction kinetics (confirmed by cyclic voltammetry), and reduced corrosion (confirmed by microscopy and potentiodynamic polarization test). This study highlights the potential of severely deformed materials with textured fine grains for advanced rechargeable battery technologies.