Fast and Regulated Zinc Deposition in a Semiconductor Substrate toward High‐Performance Aqueous Rechargeable Batteries

Abstract

Rechargeable aqueous zinc‐ion batteries are considered as ideal candidates for large‐scale energy storage due to their high safety, eco‐friendliness, and low cost. However, Zn anode invites dendrite growth and parasitic reactions at anode‐electrolyte interface, impeding the practical realization of the battery. In this study, the electrochemical performance of the Zn‐metal anode is proposed to improve by using a 3D ZnTe semiconductor substrate. The substrate features high zincophilicity, high electronic conductivity and electron affinity, and a low Zn nucleation energy barrier to promote dendrite‐proof Zn deposition along the (002) crystal plane, while it also maintains high chemical stability against parasitic metal corrosion and hydrogen evolution reactions at surface, and a stable skeleton structure against the volume variation of anode. A Zn‐metal anode based on the telluride substrate shows a long cycle life of over 3300 h with a small voltage hysteresis of 48 and 320 mV at 1 and 30 mA cm ⁻², respectively. A zinc telluride@Zn//MnO ₂ full cell can operate for over 500 cycles under practical conditions in terms of lean electrolyte (18 µL mAh ⁻¹) and limited Zn metal ( negative/positive capacity ratio of 3:1, and a high mass loading of the cathode.