Claw‐Like Macromolecular Engineering for Stabilizing Zinc Anodes Under High‐Current Operation
The mismatch between high-current operation and limited mass transport induces steep concentration gradients at the electrode surface, leading to non-uniform zinc deposition and undesirable side reactions. Here, we propose an electrolyte modification strategy that leverages the claw-like structure of Tris(3,6-dioxaheptyl)amine (TDA-1) to stabilize the electrolyte/electrode interface (EEI) under high-current conditions. Theoretical calculations and experimental results reveal that the abundant polar groups on the three branched chains of TDA-1 strongly anchor to the zinc surface, thereby reconstructing the electric double layer (EDL). The TDA-1 additive reduces the Zn<sup>2+</sup> desolvation energy barrier and extends the ion migration pathway, enabling rapid and uniform zinc deposition and diffusion. The Zn||Zn symmetric batteries with the TDA-1 additive deliver stable cycling for 1000 h at a current density of 20 mA·cm<sup>-2</sup>, whereas the Zn||VNNC full batteries exhibit markedly improved capacity retention after 500 cycles at an N/P ratio of 4.29. This study highlights the potential of macromolecular additives, which exploit claw-like spatial structures and abundant functional groups, to enhance the zinc anodes' stability under high-current conditions.
Authors
- Yang Luo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7385-6166)
- Yini Long
- Na Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0392-6672)
- Junyi Han
- Zhanhong Yang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5721-2448)
- Jianhang Huang
- Xiao Yu
- Jiaming Li
- Jiaqi Li
- Xiaochun Hu
Institutions
- Central South University (CN)
- Nanjing Normal University (CN)
- Ministry of Education (PT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Small Methods
- Published
- 2026-03-28
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/smtd.70629
- Primary Topic
- Advanced battery technologies research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00