Dendrite-free Zn anode with dual channel 3D porous frameworks for rechargeable Zn batteries

Rechargeable aqueous Zn-ion batteries are highly promising for grid-scale energy storage due to the high safety and low cost; whereas, they also suffer from the limited reversibility and dendrite growth of metallic Zn electrode during plating/stripping processes. In this work, we develop a 3D nanoporous Zn anode for dendrite-free Zn plating/stripping with significantly suppressed undesirable side reactions. The continuously connected dual-channels for electron/ion transfers and improved effective solid-electrolyte interfaces also endow the anode with promoted fast kinetics. These merits are confirmed by the significantly elongated plating/stripping cycles (1400 h under 0.1 mAh cm(-2) and 200 h under 10 mAh cm(-2)) and lowered overpotentials in symmetric cells. Our strategy, comparing with bulk Zn foil anode, also brings largely improved performances to Zn-V2O5 cells using V2O5 cathode, with achieved high energy density 333.8 Wh kg(-1), power density 3762.4 W kg(-1), and stable cycling for 500 cycles. These results demonstrate the potential of our approach to addressing the reversibility and dendrite issues of rechargeable metal electrodes.