Bio‐Inspired Zinc Anodes: Mitigating Dendrite Formation and Side Reactions in Aqueous Zinc Metal Batteries Using Laser Carbonized Chitosan Layer

Abstract

An innovative strategy is presented to enhance the electrochemical stability and performance of aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) through laser-assisted carbonization of chitosan biopolymer as a surface modification layer on zinc anodes (c-Chi/Zn). The c-Chi layer addresses critical challenges, including dendrite formation and uneven Zn deposition, by providing a stable, dendrite-resistant interface. Comprehensive structural, chemical, and electrochemical analyses reveal that the c-Chi layer improves Zn²⁺ transport kinetics and significantly stabilizes the anode-electrolyte interface, enabling long-term cycling. Symmetrical and half-cell configurations with c-Chi/Zn anodes exhibit exceptional durability, maintaining cycling stability for over 3300 h at a 2.0 mA cm⁻² current density. In full-cell configurations, the c-Chi/Zn║V₂O₅ system delivers a high specific capacity of 338 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.2 A g⁻¹ and has a capacity retention of 73% at 1.0 A g⁻¹ after 1000 cycles-far outperforming bare Zn║V₂O₅ cells, which retain only 41%. This work demonstrates that N-doped porous carbon coating derived from chitosan enhances Zn anode performance in aqueous ZIBs. This scalable and eco-friendly surface modification offers a promising pathway toward safe, high-performance, and sustainable energy storage systems.