Biomimetic Localized Gel Electrolyte for Practical Zinc Anode

Incompatible electrode/electrolyte interface often leads to dendrite growth, parasitic reactions, and corrosion, posing significant challenges to the application of Zn anodes. Herein, we introduce a biomimetic antifreeze protein localized gel electrolyte (ALGE) with multifunctional capabilities to address these issues by combining electrolyte modification with interface optimization. ALGE modifies the Zn²⁺ solvation structure and the hydrogen-bond network adjacent to the zinc anode, effectively suppressing hydrogen evolution. Additionally, ALGE promotes (002)_Zn crystal plane-dominated deposition by protein-zinc surface interactions, enabling a long-range dendrite-free deposition. The absence of by-products and inhibited corrosion further highlights the practical potential of ALGE. Symmetric cells with ALGE-modified zinc demonstrate an impressive lifespan of 610 h under a current density of 10 mA cm^-2 and a capacity of 10 mAh cm^-2. The pouch cell integrating a manganese dioxide cathode and ALGE-modified Zn anode retains 75.8% of its capacity after 200 cycles at 1 A g^-1. This localized gel electrolyte strategy offers a practical and scalable approach to stabilizing Zn anodes for next-generation energy storage systems.