An interfacial coating with high corrosion resistance based on halloysite nanotubes for anode protection of zinc-ion batteries

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries are recognized as one of the most potential neutral aqueous batteries because of the high energy density, high specific capacity, low cost, and low pollution. However, the applications of zinc-ion batteries are seriously limited by the capacity fading, easy-corrosion, side reaction, and hydrogen evolution. Herein, we report a uniform halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) coating which can guide Zn2+ ions stripping/plating on the HNTs/Zn interfaces and protect the Zn anode. The HNTs coating significantly suppresses the corrosion of Zn anode and effectively reduces the hydrogen evolution and the formation of by-product. Furthermore, the HNTs-Zn anode exhibits lower resistance than bare Zn. Compared with the bare Zn anode batteries, HNTs-Zn/MnO2 batteries exhibit good capacity retention and can increase the discharge capacity to 79% at 3 C after 400 cycles. The novel design of interfacial coating based on halloysite nanotubes through electrophoretic deposition method provides a new way to fabricate eco-nomic and stable aqueous zinc-ion batteries. (c) 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries are highly promising due to their high energy density, specific capacity, low cost, and low pollution, but face limitations such as capacity fading, corrosion, side reactions, and hydrogen evolution. The use of halloysite nanotubes coating can effectively mitigate these limitations, improve battery performance, and offer a new approach to making environmentally friendly and stable aqueous zinc-ion batteries.