Realizing high-power and high-capacity zinc/sodium metal anodes through interfacial chemistry regulation

Stable plating/stripping of metal electrodes under high power and high capacity remains a great challenge. Tailoring the deposition behavior on the substrate could partly resolve dendrites' formation, but it usually works only under low current densities and limited capacities. Here we turn to regulate the separator's interfacial chemistry through tin coating with decent conductivity and excellent zincophilicity. The former homogenizes the electric field distribution for smooth zinc metal on the substrate, while the latter enables the concurrent zinc deposition on the separator with a face-to-face growth. Consequently, dendrite-free zinc morphologies and superior cycling stability are achieved at simultaneous high current densities and large cycling capacities (1000 h at 5mA/cm(2) for 5mAh/cm(2) and 500 h at 10mA/cm(2) for 10mAh/cm(2)). Furthermore, the concept could be readily extended to sodium metal anodes, demonstrating the interfacial chemistry regulation of separator is a promising route to circumvent the metal anode challenges. Zinc metal anodes suffer from severe dendrites' growth. Herewith authors construct electrically conductive and zincophilic tin coating on separator to suppress dendrites initiation and eliminate the inevitably formed dendrites.

Automated summary

The study successfully achieved dendrite-free zinc morphologies and superior cycling stability under high current densities and large cycling capacities by regulating the separator's interfacial chemistry through tin coating. This approach suppressed dendrite initiation and ensured smooth zinc metal deposition, offering a promising route to overcome challenges associated with metal anodes.