Optimizing Zn (100) Deposition via Crystal Plane Shielding Effect towards Ultra-High Rate and Stable Zinc Anode

Abstract

Aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) have gained significant attention as promising solutions for large-scale grid energy storage, however, challenges such as dendrite formation and limited operating current ranges significantly hinder their stability and practical application. This study investigates the incorporation of methylsulfonylamine (MSA) as an electrolyte additive in AZIBs. MSA can restructure the solvation structure of Zn²⁺ ions and guide the organized deposition of zinc (Zn) along the (100) crystal plane. A crystal plane shielding effect has been proposed, which accelerates the plating-stripping processes, enhances overall stability and suppresses Zn dendrite formation. Consequently, incorporating MSA expands the current density range and enhances the practical usability of AZIBs under extreme conditions. As a result, Zn||Zn symmetric cells demonstrate an exceptional cycling life of 300 h at 80 mA/cm² and 1 mAh/cm², with an impressive 24,000 cycles. The MnO₂||Zn full cells utilizing the MSA-containing electrolyte demonstrate exceptional capacity retention of 85.4% after 3,000 cycles at 0.5 A/g. These results underscore the significant effect of MSA as an electrolyte additive and provide a broad road for enhancing performance of AZIBs under the high current density conditions.