Electrodeposited Zinc Anodes on Nickel Foam for Enhanced Zinc-Air Battery Performance

The uneven deposition of zinc on the electrode surface leads to inadequate durability and stability of zinc-air batteries, hindering their widespread application. This study systematically investigates the fabrication of zinc anodes by electrochemical deposition onto nickel foam substrates and evaluates their performance in zinc-air batteries. Zinc was deposited for varying durations ( 3−5 hours), and the resulting electrodes were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEMEDS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Electrochemical measurements show that the sample deposited for 4 hours delivers the best overall performance, with an average discharge voltage of 1.17 V and a load current of 3.52 mA which is 21% higher than cells with pure- Zn anodes. Microstructural analysis further confirms that 4 hours affords the optimal balance between zinc loading ( 84.01wt% ) and deposition uniformity. This study delineates the structureperformance correlation among electrodeposition time, zinc loading, microstructural features, and electrochemical behavior, offering vital theoretical guidance and process reference for the optimized fabrication of metal-air battery anodes.