3D Surface Architecture and Zincophilic–Hydrophobic Interface for Promoting Stability of Zn Anode

ABSTRACT Aqueous Zn‐ion batteries (AZIBs) hold great expectations in large‐scale energy storage systems owing to the ascendance of remarkable safety, cost‐effectiveness, and praiseworthy theoretical specific capacity. However, the deficient interfacial stability of the Zn anode, caused by uncontrollable dendrite growth and parasitic side reactions, hampers the practical applications of AZIBs. Herein, a zincophilic‐hydrophobic surface with 3D fish‐scale‐like lamellar architecture was in situ fabricated on the Zn anode (LZ@Zn) via a lysine chemical etching and complexation process to resolve the above dilemmas. Attributing to both the zincophilic‐hydrophobic properties and distinct 3D structure, the LZ@Zn anode can not only expel water molecules, but also accelerate Zn 2+ de‐solvation, lower the energy barrier for nucleation, and regulate the diffusion behavior of Zn 2+ . This enables it to suppress side reactions and achieve even Zn deposition, thereby ensuring the high stability of the Zn anode. Consequently, the LZ@Zn||Cu half‐cell exhibits commendable reversibility with an average coulombic efficiency of 99.82 % over 1500 cycles. Moreover, LZ@Zn||LZ@Zn symmetric cell can achieve exceptional reversibility for cycling 6000 and 4000 h at 1 and 5 mA cm −2 , respectively. The favorable electrochemical performance of the LZ@Zn reveals the dependability of this proffered strategy for achieving a stabilized and reversible Zn anode.