Unlocking the stable interface in aqueous zinc-ion battery with multifunctional xylose-based electrolyte additives

The growth of dendrites and the side reactions occurring at the Zn anode pose significant challenges to the commercialization of aqueous Zn-ion batteries (AZIBs). These challenges arise from the inherent conflict between mass transfer and electrochemical kinetics. In this study, we propose the use of a multifunctional electrolyte additive based on the xylose (Xylo) molecule to address these issues by modulating the solvation structure and electrode/electrolyte interface, thereby stabilizing the Zn anode. The introduction of the additive alters the solvation structure, creating steric hindrance that impedes charge transfer and then reduces electrochemical kinetics. Furthermore, in-situ analyses demonstrate that the reconstructed electrode/electrolyte interface facilitates stable and rapid Zn2+ 2+ ion migration and suppresses corrosion and hydrogen evolution reactions. As a result, symmetric cells incorporating the Xylo additive exhibit significantly enhanced reversibility during the Zn plating/stripping process, with an impressively long lifespan of up to 1986 h, compared to cells using pure ZnSO4 4 electrolyte. When combined with a polyaniline cathode, the full cells demonstrate improved capacity and long-term cyclic stability. This work offers an effective direction for improving the stability of Zn anode via electrolyte design, as well as highperformance AZIBs. (c) 2024 Science Press and Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science Press. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.