Rational Design of an In-Situ Polymer-Inorganic Hybrid Solid Electrolyte Interphase for Realising Stable Zn Metal Anode under Harsh Conditions

The in-depth understanding of the composition-property-performance relationship of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) is the basis of developing a reliable SEI to stablize the Zn anode-electrolyte interface, but it remains unclear in rechargeable aqueous zinc ion batteries. Herein, a well-designed electrolyte based on 2 M Zn(CF3SO3)(2)-0.2 M acrylamide-0.2 M ZnSO4 is proposed. A robust polymer (polyacrylamide)-inorganic (Zn4SO4(OH)(6).xH(2)O) hybrid SEI is in situ constructed on Zn anodes through controllable polymerization of acrylamide and coprecipitation of SO42- with Zn2+ and OH-. For the first time, the underlying SEI composition-property-performance relationship is systematically investigated and correlated. The results showed that the polymer-inorganic hybrid SEI, which integrates the high modulus of the inorganic component with the high toughness of the polymer ingredient, can realize high reversibility and long-term interfacial stability, even under ultrahigh areal current density and capacity (30 mA cm(-2)similar to 30 mAh cm(-2)). The resultant Zn||NH4V4O10 cell also exhibits excellent cycling stability. This work will provide a guidance for the rational design of SEI layers in rechargeable aqueous zinc ion batteries.