Interfacial Regulation via Anionic Surfactant Electrolyte Additive Promotes Stable (002)-Textured Zinc Anodes at High Depth of Discharge

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries have been identified as a viable option for grid energy storage. However, their practical application is limited by the poor performances at a high use rate of zinc. A suitable strategy to improve the cycling stability at a high depth of discharge (DOD) is by realizing the (002)-textured Zn plating to suppress dendrite growth and side reactions. Herein, a novel electrolyte additive sodium 3-mercapto-1-propanesulfonate (MPS) is introduced to regulate the zinc/electrolyte interfacial structure. The MPS anions can form an adsorption layer on the anode surface, which induces Zn deposition in the (002) direction as indicated by first-principles calculations. Additionally, the adsorption layer can facilitate the reduction of the energy barrier associated with zinc deposition. This modified interface effectively inhibits dendrite and side reactions, resulting in a remarkable cycling lifespan for Zn||Zn symmetric cells, exceeding 800 h at a high DOD of 50%, and over 4500 h at 1.0 mA cm(-2)/1.0 mAh cm(-2). Moreover, the capacity stability of the full cells with V2O5 & BULL;H2O or polyaniline cathodes is substantially improved. A pouch-type Zn||V2O5 & BULL;H2O full cell reveals a high capacity of 42 mAh and good capacity retention of 86.6% after 250 cycles, highlighting significant potential for practical applications.