Anti-solvent strategy promoting (002) texture and suppressing side reactions for an ultra-stable zinc anode

• Published in: Cell reports physical science 2023-10, Vol.4 (10), p.101626, Article 101626
• Main Authors: Ren, Huaizheng, Li, Sai, Wang, Bo, Wu, Bochen, Liu, Xinxin, Gong, Yuxin, Li, Yaqiang, Yang, Heng, Wang, Dianlong, Liu, Huakun, Dou, Shixue
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: anti-solvent strategy; dendrite-free deposition; diethylene glycol; Zn anodes; Zn-texture
• ISSN: 2666-3864; 2666-3864
• DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrp.2023.101626

In aqueous electrolytes, the stability of the zinc anode is threatened by severe dendrite growth and the hydrogen evolution reaction. Herein, diethylene glycol (DEG) is used as an anti-solvent agent to address the abovementioned issues and boost the reversibility of the zinc anode. The DEG has a strong affinity to the Zn anode, thereby steering dominant (002)-textured zinc growth without dendrites. Multiple spectroscopic techniques, theoretical calculations, and molecular dynamics simulation have demonstrated that DEG can reconstruct the solvation sheath of Zn2+ and reduce the amount of active H2O to suppress the hydrogen evolution reaction. This anti-solvent strategy enables the stable cycle life of Zn-Zn cells over 4,200 h, and the Zn-Cu cells deliver a high average coulombic efficiency >99.75% for 1,100 cycles (>2,000 h). Accordingly, zinc-activated carbon full batteries operated steadily for 19,000 cycles (>3 months). This work provides a new anti-solvent strategy for achieving high-stability zinc anodes by inducing (002)-texture growth through electrolyte modification. [Display omitted] •An anti-solvent electrolyte is prepared•Diethylene glycol reconstructs the solvation sheath of Zn2+ to suppress side reactions•Diethylene glycol induces uniform orientational deposition of Zn2•Zinc-activated carbon full batteries exhibit improved cycling stability Ren et al. adopt diethylene glycol as an anti-solvent agent to stabilize the zinc anode. Diethylene glycol modifies the Zn2+ solvation sheath and squeezes out active H2O around Zn2+, which reduces side reactions. Diethylene glycol adsorbed on the zinc anode can guide the directional deposition of Zn2+, thereby forming a deposition layer without dendrite.