Improving Zn ion transport behavior and uniform deposition using artificial ZnOHF coated film for deeply rechargeable Zn metal anodes

Aqueous Zn metal batteries have attracted much attention for their environmental benignity and superb security. However, their reversibility and stability have been largely limited by uncontrollable dendrite growth and interface parasitic reactions on Zn anodes yet, which seriously restricts the commercialization process. Herein, the ZnOHF film has been in-situ grown on the surface of Zn anode to cope with these problems of aqueous Zn metal batteries. The grain-like uniform ZnOHF film can provide adsorption sites with low diffusion barrier to homogenize Zn2+ deposition, also evidently inhibit the side reaction of hydrogen evolution. As a result, the assembled [email protected]||[email protected] symmetrical cells exhibit a stable cycling performance (1000 and 700 h at the current density of 0.2 and 10 mA cm−2, respectively). In addition, the [email protected]||VO2 full cell shows the coulombic efficiency (CE) close to 100% at a current density of 2 A g−1 after 500 cycles, delivering a maintained capacity of 160.2 mAh g−1.