Active Dendrite Suppression by Ferroelectric Membrane Separators in Rechargeable Batteries

Anodic dendrite formation is a critical issue in rechargeable batteries and often leads to poor cycling stability and quick capacity loss. Prevailing strategies for dendrite suppression aim at slowing down the growth rate kinetically but still leaving possibilities for dendrite evolution over time. Herein, we report a complete dendrite elimination strategy using a mesoporous ferroelectric polymer membrane as the battery separator. The dendrite suppression is realized by spontaneously reversing the surface energetics for metal ion reduction at the protrusion front, where a positive piezoelectric polarization is generated and superimposed as the protrusion compresses the separator. This effect is demonstrated first in a Zn electroplating process, and further in Zn-Zn symmetric cells and Zn-NaV₃O₈·1.5H₂O full cells, where the dendritic Zn anode surfaces are completely turned into featureless flat surfaces. Consequently, a substantially longer charging/discharging cycle is achieved. This study provides a promising pathway toward high-performance dendrite-free rechargeable batteries.