An innovation: Dendrite free quinone paired with ZnMn2O4 for zinc ion storage

Graphite was reported by J.O. Besenhard as the reservoir for alkali ions in 1974. The booming period of lithium-ion batteries arrived after the graphite patent issued by Sony Co. in 1991. The flourish development is due to the address of lithium dendrite issue through the substitution from lithium metal to graphite. Currently, the zinc dendrite formation in zinc-ion batteries is one of the major issues. Herein, we fabricate a zinc-ion full battery by replacing zinc metal with organic quinone, which is a zinc dendrite free material. This novel zinc-ion full battery exhibits excellent cycling stability with capacity retention of 94.4% and high specific capacity of 189.5 mA h g−1 after 500 cycles. Ascribed to the low cost of quinone and long cycle performance, this work could inaugurate a new era for rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries.