Unveiling the mechanism of ultra-low-dose and ultra-high corrosion inhibition additive for enhancing zinc anode performance

Zinc metal anodes offer low-cost and safe options for energy storage. However, the corrosion and dendritic growth limit battery longevity. In this study, a trace amount of 6-bromo-1 H-benzimidazole (BHB) is introduced as an electrolyte additive. Experimental and theoretical results demonstrate that BHB molecules adsorb on the zinc anode, suppressing corrosion, secondary reactions, and dendritic growth. BHB demonstrates exceptional corrosion inhibition (99.1%). BHB enables stable cycling of zinc anode for over 1150 h at 5 mA cm−2 and exhibits excellent zinc anode reversibility in Zn||Cu half-cells (CE=99.24%). This research provides an encouraging pathway for zinc anode electrolyte additives.