Unlocking the Allometric Growth and Dissolution of Zn Anodes at Initial Nucleation and an Early Stage with Atomic Force Microscopy

Abstract

Zn anodes have gained intensive attention for their environmental-friendliness and high volumetric capacity but are limited by their severe dendrite formation. Understanding the initial nucleation behavior is critical for manipulating the uniform deposition of Zn. Herein, the allometric growth and dissolution of Zn in the initial nucleation and early stages are visualized with in situ atomic force microscopy in aqueous ZnCl2 electrolytes. Zn nuclei grow via a horizontal radial direction and dissolve reversibly in a top-down process. The critical nucleation radius and density are dependent on the electrolyte concentration of ZnCl2, namely, the initial nucleus size is proportional to the ratio of surface free energy between deposited Zn and the electrolyte and overpotentials for Zn electrodeposition, and the density is inversely proportional to the cube of this ratio. This investigation provides guidelines for regulating uniform metal electrodeposition and yields benefits for the development of anode-free batteries.

A biocompatible and fully erodible conducting polymer enables implanted rechargeable Zn batteries

“…S8 † ), indicating the good stability of the Zn anode interfaced with the gel electrolyte. 27 The Zn battery delivered a maximum areal energy density of 39 mW h g −1 at a power density of 307 mW g −1 (Fig. S9 † ).…”

Tannic acid assisted metal–chelate interphase toward highly stable Zn metal anodes in rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries

“…It is certain that the symmetric cell with a bare Zn anode presents a larger voltage hysteresis (79.1 mV) ( Supplementary Figure S3A ) and suddenly failed after 45 h cycling. These phenomena may be attributed to the accumulation of side reaction products ( Supplementary Figure S4 ) and the prominent dendrite growth ( Figure 2B ) ( Zhou et al, 2021a ; Zhou et al, 2022c ). By sharp contrast, the TA@Zn|TA@Zn cell exhibits the best electrochemical performance with a prolonged cycling lifespan of over 850 h ( Figure 2D ) with a small voltage hysteresis of 57.8 mV at 1 mA cm −2 , 1 mAh cm −2 , implying that the immersion time of 1 min is the optimal condition for the fabrication of the TA@Zn electrode ( Supplementary Figure S4 ).…”

Solid Electrolyte Interface in Zn-Based Battery Systems

“…Meanwhile, by in situ surveying the morphology change of Zn at the initial stage of electroplating (Fig. 5 b), it concluded that the Zn deposition could not get rid of the influence of the substrate in a short time [ 62 ].

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