Zinc dendrite growth and inhibition strategies

Zinc is an ideal energy carrier due to its high energy density, low cost, and environmental friendliness. However, dendrite growth during plating/stripping hinders the practical application of zinc-based secondary batteries. Although inhibition strategies have been proposed in recent years to eliminate the negative effects of zinc dendrites, the problem of dendrite growth is still unresolved. Therefore, understanding the formation mechanism of zinc dendrites is necessary to guide the inhibition strategies of zinc dendrite growth. The mechanism of zinc dendrite growth is investigated, and the related inhibition strategies are summarized in this review. First, the physicochemical properties of zinc and the advantages and disadvantages of zinc electrodes are described in detail. Second, the nucleation and dendrite growth of zinc are analyzed based on the existing theoretical models of zinc dendrite growth, pointing out the key factors affecting the nucleation and growth behavior of zinc dendrites. Thirdly, the measures to optimize the electric field distribution on the electrode surface are summarized, enhancing the migration of zinc ions and dendrite-free zinc deposition. Last, the challenges and the expectations for zinc-based batteries in the future development are presented.