Reconfiguring Zn<sup>2+</sup> Solvation Structures and Modulating the Inner Helmholtz Plane Via Janus Supramolecules

Abstract Zn metal anodes (ZMAs) are plagued by dendritic growth and side reactions, which results in the degradation of their electrochemical performance. In this study, a carboxylated pillar[5]arene (CP5) is introduced with Janus properties to reconstruct the solvation structure of Zn 2+ and modulate the inner Helmholtz plane (IHP). The electron‐rich cavity of CP5 adsorbs Zn 2+ through electrostatic interactions synergistically reconfiguring the solvated structure of Zn. Concurrently, the zincophilic carboxyl groups preferentially adsorb onto the Zn electrode interface, while the hydrophobic cavity modulates the IHP by repelling certain H₂O molecules. The synergistic impact of this dual reconfiguration strategy effectively suppresses the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and curtails dendrite formation and associated side reactions, thereby enhancing the long‐term stability of the electrode‐electrolyte interface. The results demonstrate that a Coulombic efficiency (CE) of 99.1% in the Zn||Cu asymmetric cell is achieved during the galvanization/stripping process at 5 mA cm −2 under 1 mAh cm −2 . Furthermore, the optimized electrolyte maintains a capacity retention of 91.4% after 1000 cycles in a Zn‐I 2 battery, demonstrating exceptional cycling stability. This study offers a viable strategy for optimizing the Zn 2+ solvation structure and informs the design of electrolytes for highly reversible metal‐anode batteries.

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Publication Details

Journal
Advanced Functional Materials
Published
2024-12-11
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202419795
Citations
11
Primary Topic
Advanced battery technologies research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
2.30

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article

Reconfiguring Zn2+ Solvation Structures and Modulating the Inner Helmholtz Plane Via Janus Supramolecules

Ju Xie, Yuanzhe Piao, Min Zhao, Xing Chen et al.
11 citations
Advanced Functional Materials
Advanced battery technologies research
2.30
article

Reconfiguring Zn2+ Solvation Structures and Modulating the Inner Helmholtz Plane Via Janus Supramolecules

Ju Xie, Yuanzhe Piao, Min Zhao, Xing Chen, Ming Chen, Longfei Li, Chunsheng Li, Xueyang Li, Xiaoyu Wu, Wanting Wang
article en
11 citations

Abstract

Abstract Zn metal anodes (ZMAs) are plagued by dendritic growth and side reactions, which results in the degradation of their electrochemical performance. In this study, a carboxylated pillar[5]arene (CP5) is introduced with Janus properties to reconstruct the solvation structure of Zn 2+ and modulate the inner Helmholtz plane (IHP). The electron‐rich cavity of CP5 adsorbs Zn 2+ through electrostatic interactions synergistically reconfiguring the solvated structure of Zn. Concurrently, the zincophilic carboxyl groups preferentially adsorb onto the Zn electrode interface, while the hydrophobic cavity modulates the IHP by repelling certain H₂O molecules. The synergistic impact of this dual reconfiguration strategy effectively suppresses the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and curtails dendrite formation and associated side reactions, thereby enhancing the long‐term stability of the electrode‐electrolyte interface. The results demonstrate that a Coulombic efficiency (CE) of 99.1% in the Zn||Cu asymmetric cell is achieved during the galvanization/stripping process at 5 mA cm −2 under 1 mAh cm −2 . Furthermore, the optimized electrolyte maintains a capacity retention of 91.4% after 1000 cycles in a Zn‐I 2 battery, demonstrating exceptional cycling stability. This study offers a viable strategy for optimizing the Zn 2+ solvation structure and informs the design of electrolytes for highly reversible metal‐anode batteries.

Advanced Functional MaterialsVol. 35(15)
Seoul National University (KR), Anhui University (CN), Hefei Institutes of Physical Science (CN), Suzhou University of Science and Technology (CN), Advanced Institute of Convergence Technology (KR), Yangzhou University (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Openalex Percentile: Top 11%
Advanced battery technologies research
2.30
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