Carboxymethyl cellulose as an artificial solid electrolyte interphase for stable zinc-based anodes in aqueous electrolytes

Zinc (Zn) is viewed as a promising anode material for large-scale secondary batteries. However, due to parasitic reactions and uneven Zn distribution during repeated stripping/plating cycles, Zn anodes show inferior performance and stability. To overcome such drawbacks, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as an artificial solid electrolyte interphase (ASEI) is fabricated on a Zn sheet and Zn-graphite composite anode. The roles of CMC-ASEI are examined using X-ray tomography, X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS). Results show that the carboxyl group in CMC can regulate the flux and local concentration of Zn ions at the surface, allowing uniform Zn dissolution/deposition, and can suppress corrosion by reducing water activities on the anode’s surface. At 5 mA cm⁻², the Zn-iodine battery having CMC-ASEI can cycle up to 2,000 cycles. This work provides a simple and scalable solution for advanced Zn anodes for Zn-based batteries.