Achieving the Dendrite‐Free Zn Anode by Inducing the (101)‐Preferred Electrodeposition of Zn Crystals

Abstract Previous studies have primarily focused on promoting the (002) crystal plane of electrodeposited zinc (Zn) to grow thin Zn plates parallel to the electrode surface and thus achieving the dendrite‐suppressed Zn anodes. In contrast, this work adopts a novel approach. In situ construct a tin (Sn) modification layer on Zn foil. Through in‐depth cross‐sectional morphological analyses, the as‐designed Sn interface is observed to induce (101)‐preferred electrodeposition of Zn, leading to well‐ordered alignment of Zn thin plates “standing‐up” against the electrode surface at a universal angle of 65°. Such crystallographic characteristic consequently guarantees a flat and compact morphology of the electrochemically deposited Zn layer, thus suppressing the notorious problems of dendritic Zn growth and hydrogen generation. Consequently, the dendrite‐free Sn–Zn anode exhibits long‐term cycling stability of 4000 h at 1 mA cm −2 and 0.5 mAh cm −2 , a significant improvement in comparison to the 50 h stability observed for unmodified Zn anode. The findings in this study offer a deep understanding of interface mechanisms and are instructive for innovative interface design for metal anodes.