Polyethylene Glycol-Protected Zinc Microwall Arrays for Stable Zinc Anodes

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries promise good commercial application prospects due to their environmental benignity and easy assembly under atmospheric conditions, positioning them as a viable alternative to lithium-ion batteries. However, some inherent issues, such as chaotic zinc dendrite growth and inevitable side reactions, challenge the commercialization progress. In this work, we imprint highly ordered zinc microwall arrays to regulate the electric field toward uniform Zn deposition. Afterward, coating a polyethylene glycol protection layer on the zinc microwalls aims to passivate the surface defects that rise unintentionally by mechanical imprinting. Polyethylene glycol can also boost oriented Zn deposition along the (002) plane and inhibit hydrogen gas production, further enhancing the stability of such three-dimensional (3D) hybrid anodes. Compared to the messy electric field near the polyethylene glycol-protected Zn foil, the uniform electric field provided by these 3D hybrid anodes can regulate the Zn deposition behaviors, enabling a longer lifespan and thus certifying the necessity of adding 3D microstructures. Additionally, 3D microstructures can offer a larger surface area than that of the planar Zn foil, providing more reaction sites and higher specific capacity. In this case, the 3D hybrid electrode exhibits a good initial capacity of approximately 120 mA h/g at a current density of 5 A/g and a nice retention of more than 80% after 800 cycles. The proposed scheme paves the way for a long-term stable 3D zinc anode solution with promising application prospects.