Synchronously Tuning Crystal Facets and Constructing a Multifunctional Interface toward a High-Performance Zn Anode

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) face challenges such as dendrite growth and byproduct accumulation in practical applications. Herein, an innovative strategy of alkali corrosion is utilized to tune crystal facets of a Zn electrode, selectively weakening the active (101) plane and highlighting the (002) plane. Furthermore, a protective interface composed of coordination polymers and inorganic zinc compounds has been synchronously fabricated, exhibiting remarkable mechanical robustness. The engineered multifunctional protective layer (MPL) also possesses abundant zincophilic sites that can significantly promote the uniform Zn ion distribution on the interface and demonstrates remarkable efficacy in improving corrosion resistance, inhibiting dendrite formation, promoting uniform zinc deposition, and significantly enhancing the cycling performance of AZIBs. Therefore, the symmetric cell with Zn@MPL exhibits superior cycling stability over 5000 h at 0.5 mA cm^-2 and excellent rate performance at 10 mA cm^-2. When cycled for 2300 cycles, a full cell using Zn@MPL and MnO₂ can still deliver a capacity retention rate of 51.4% at 5 A g^-1, which is 24 times longer than the cycling lifespan of the bare Zn-based cell decaying to the same capacity. The successful preparation and application of a unique MPL provide some new insights for exploring safe and stable AZIBs.