Stimulating the potential of Zn anode to operate in low pH and harsh environments for highly sustainable Zn batteries

Compared to near-neutral electrolytes (pH=3-6), Zn||Mn batteries in acidic environments can achieve voltages up to ~2 V. However, high proton concentrations raise concerns about Zn anode stability. Current strategies for inhibiting hydrogen evolution corrosion (HEC) on the anode in Zn-based batteries mainly focus on the near-neutral electrolytes. To supplement this gap, we developed a conversion-type interphase strategy using phosphate, sulfate precipitation, and phytic acid modification layers for Zn anodes to demonstrate the potential of Zn anode to operate in acidic electrolytes. This approach enables stable Zn stripping/plating at pH=2.2 for over 3,600 h and 400 h at 1 mA cm