Laser-induced fluorine-containing coating on zinc anode surface for regulated Zn(002) deposition†

Dendrite formation and ongoing side reactions on the zinc anode are critical issues that hinder the application of zinc-ion batteries. Herein, a fluorine-containing carbon coating is applied to the zinc anode surface via laser irradiation. This coating enhanced the regulation of Zn²⁺ diffusion and nucleation behavior on the anode surface, promoting stable (002)-textured Zn deposition and reduction in side reactions. The strongly coupled coating enabled highly stable and reversible zinc stripping/plating for over 721 hours in Zn/Zn symmetric batteries at 5 mA cm⁻² and 2.5 mA h cm⁻². Moreover, the assembled full battery retained 80% of its initial capacity after 5500 cycles at a current density of 1 A g⁻¹. Thus, it was demonstrated that surface modification with fluorine-containing carbon can improve the stability and reversibility of Zn anodes, thus accelerating the commercialization of ZIBs.