Toward highly reversible aqueous zinc-ion batteries: nanoscale-regulated zinc nucleation via graphene quantum dots functionalized with multiple functional groups

In situ fabrication of functionalized graphene quantum dots (F-GQDs) with multiple functional groups on a Zn anode suppresses dendrite formation and mitigates side reactions. The F-GQDs-decorated Zn adopts a non-dendritic morphology during repeated Zn plating/stripping and exhibits a long cycle life of 450 h at ultrahigh current density (10 mA cm−2) and areal capacity (5 mAh cm−2).