Regulation of Zinc Interface by Maltitol for Long-Life Dendrite-free Aqueous Zinc Ion Batteries

The formation of dendrites and low coulombic efficiency hinder the application of aqueous zinc ion batteries in large energy storage systems. As the electrolyte additive, maltitol is adsorbed on the zinc to regulate the anode interface. The maltitol inhibits the growth of zinc dendrites and improves the cycling stability of the zinc anode, which has been proven by a series of electrochemical approaches. The scanning electron microscope and the in situ optical microscope have recorded the smooth deposition of the zinc. The mechanism of interface regulation has been implemented by specific adsorption and deceleration kinetics, verified by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectra, and DFT calculations. The Zn//Zn symmetric cells reached a stable plating/stripping performance over 1000 h at 2 mA cm-2 with 2 mA h cm-2. This cheap and eco-friendly additive provides an alternative for the application of aqueous zinc ion batteries. Graphical Abstract