Molecular engineering of D-glucuronamide additive directs (100)-oriented Zn deposition for ultra-stable zinc-ion batteries

The built-in safety attributes of aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) position them as a viable alternative to conventional energy storage systems. However, their commercialization is seriously hindered by challenges including dendritic growth and water-mediated parasitic reactions. Here, an electrolyte additive D-glucuronamide (D-Glu) functionalized with hydroxyl, carbonyl, and amide groups and a 3D architecture is introduced to co-modulate the thermodynamics and kinetics of zinc plating/stripping synergistically. Experiment results and theoretical studies reveal that synergistic interplay between the hydrogen-bonding networks and high nucleophilicity of the D-Glu molecule facilitates the preferential displacement of water molecules within the Zn²⁺ primary solvation shell, significantly reducing reactive water in the electrolyte and effectively suppressing the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Additionally, the selective adsorption of functional groups on different crystal planes induces orientational growth of Zn(100) crystal planes to form dendrite-free depositions, meanwhile, the D-Glu molecule shields zinc surface defects via steric hindrance, creating a water-poor interfacial microenvironment to inhibit side-reaction. Benefitting from the advantages of functional groups and steric hindrance, the assembled Zn symmetric cell achieves a prolonged lifespan of over 4000 h at 1 mA cm⁻² with a low overpotential of 25 mV and an ultrahigh cumulative plating capacity (CPC) of 9.6 Ah cm⁻² at 10 mA cm⁻². Furthermore, the full cell with an NH₄V₄O₁₀ (NVO) cathode retained a reversible capacity of 218 mAh g⁻¹ at 5 A g⁻¹ after 2000 cycles. Therefore, this work highlights the potential of molecular design in regulating the crystal orientation for high-performance next-generation AZIBs.