Highly robust zinc metal anode directed by organic–inorganic synergistic interfaces for wearable aqueous zinc battery

Abstract

Flexible aqueous zinc batteries (FAZBs) with high safety and environmental friendliness are promising smart power sources for smart wearable electronics. However, the bare zinc anode usually suffers from damnable dendrite growth and rampant side reaction on the surface, greatly impeding practical applications in FAZBs. Herein, a composite polymer interface layer is artificially self-assembled on the surface of the zinc anode by graft-modified fluorinated monomer (polyacrylic acid-2-(Trifluoromethyl)propenoic acid, PAA-TFPA), on which an organic–inorganic hybrid (PAA-Zn/ZnF₂) solid electrolyte interface (SEI) with excellent ionic conductivity is formed by interacting with Zn²⁺. Both the pouch cell and fiber zinc anode exhibit excellent plating/stripping reversibility after protecting by this organic–inorganic SEI, which can be stably cycled more than 3000 h in symmetric Zn||Zn cells or 550 h in fiber Zn||Zn cells. Additionally, this interface layer preserves zinc anode with excellent mechanical durability under various mechanical deformation (stably working for another 1200 h after bending 100 h). The corresponding PAA-Zn/ZnF₂@Zn||MnO₂ full cell displays an ultra-long life span (79% capacity retention after 3000 cycles) and mechanical robustness (85% of the initial capacity for another 3000 cycles after bending 100 times). More importantly, the as-assembled cells can easily power smart wearable devices to monitor the user's health condition.

Keywords

hybrid SEI / mechanical durability / wearable zinc battery / zinc anode

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