Ultrafast Zinc–Ion–Conductor Interface toward High‐Rate and Stable Zinc Metal Batteries

Abstract

Abstract The corrosion, passivation, and dendritic growth of Zn anodes and the dissolution of cathodes hinder rechargeable aqueous zinc ion battery (AZIB) rejuvenation. In this work, a versatile Zn‐based montmorillonite (MMT) interlayer is constructed to achieve a stable rechargeable AZIB. The Zn‐based MMT coating Zn foil (MMT‐Zn) is designed to enable a high transference number for Zn 2+ ( t + ≈ 0.82) and a freeway for Zn 2+ migration to alleviate corrosion and passivation and suppress Zn dendrites. The results show the MMT‐Zn symmetrical batteries render dendrite‐free plating/stripping with an ultra‐stable and small overpotential (50 mV) and a long‐life span (1000 cycles) at 1 mA cm −2 /0.25 mAh cm −2 and with 100 mV overpotential at ultrahigh current and capacity of 10 mA cm −2 /45 mAh cm −2 (over 1000 h, 77% depth of discharge). The MMT interlayer is applied to the MnO 2 cathode to inhibit the discharge product dissolving and diffusing into the electrolyte, so that the stability of the capacity is maintained. Thus, MMT‐Zn||MMT‐MnO 2 delivers an ultra‐long cycle life and ultra‐high capacity (1100 cycles with 191.5 mAh g −1 at 2 C). Hopefully, Zn‐based MMT interlayer can be considered to improve the electrochemical performance of the metal anodes and soluble cathodes.