Physics

Geology

Nanotechnology

Electrode

Nanostructure

Mathematics

Zinc

Dendrite (mathematics)

Anode

Engineering

Faraday efficiency

Galvanic anode

Physical chemistry

Power (physics)

Eutectic system

Aqueous solution

Chemistry

Metallurgy

Materials science

Cathodic protection

Geometry

Plating (geology)

Alloy

Cathode

Battery (electricity)

Quantum mechanics

Electrolyte

Lamellar structure

Chemical engineering

Aluminium

Electrochemistry

Geophysics

Nature Communications

Metallic zinc is an attractive anode material for aqueous rechargeable batteries because of its high theoretical capacity and low cost. However, state-of-the-art zinc anodes suffer from low coulombic efficiency and severe dendrite growth during stripping/plating processes, hampering their practical applications. Here we show that eutectic-composition alloying of zinc and aluminum as an effective strategy substantially tackles these irreversibility issues by making use of their lamellar structure, composed of alternating zinc and aluminum nanolamellas. The lamellar nanostructure not only promotes zinc stripping from precursor eutectic Zn 88 Al 12 (at%) alloys, but produces core/shell aluminum/aluminum sesquioxide interlamellar nanopatterns in situ to in turn guide subsequent growth of zinc, enabling dendrite-free zinc stripping/plating for more than 2000 h in oxygen-absent aqueous electrolyte. These outstanding electrochemical properties enlist zinc-ion batteries constructed with Zn 88 Al 12 alloy anode and K x MnO 2 cathode to deliver high-density energy at high levels of electrical power and retain 100% capacity after 200 hours.

Lamella-nanostructured eutectic zinc–aluminum alloys as reversible and dendrite-free anodes for aqueous rechargeable batteries