Enabling cobblestone-like zinc deposition via uniform ZnSnO₃ perovskite nanocrystal nucleus towards dendrites-free and high-rate zinc batteries

Although the plating/stripping mechanism of zinc metal anode brings high energy density for rechargeable aqueous zinc metal batteries (AZMBs), zinc tends to plating/stripping along dendrite planes and induces severe parasitic reactions, which reduces its coulombic efficiency and shortens its cycling life. Here, uniform perovskite nanocrystals nucleus with rich-exposed ZnSnO₃(111) as zinc deposition sites was prepared to achieve cobblestone-like zinc deposition. Due to the high lattice match rate (93.7%) of ZnSnO₃(111) with Zn(002) and the moderating effect of ZnSnO₃ nanocrystals on zinc deposition/dissolution, the zinc anode allows for 3D deposition/dissolution with a highly exposed Zn(002) facet (referred to as 3D-Zn), resulting in accelerated reaction kinetics. In symmetrical battery, the 3D-Zn exhibits an ultra-low polarization voltage of 15 mV at 1 mA cm⁻² and a high exchange current density of 13.53 mA cm⁻²for Zn⁰↔Zn²⁺, indicating the 3D stripping/plating delivers fast kinetics process. A full cell with 3D-Zn anode and NaV₃O₈·H₂O (NVO) cathode shows a stable CE (average value ~ 99.3%) at 0.5 A g⁻¹. Moreover, the full cell with 3D-Zn anode still works up to 600 cycles at 3A g⁻¹. This work provides new insights into the design of dendrite-free metal anodes with fast kinetics for high-rate and stable AZMBs.