Work

Bio‐Inspired Zinc Anodes: Mitigating Dendrite Formation and Side Reactions in Aqueous Zinc Metal Batteries Using Laser Carbonized Chitosan Layer

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: An innovative strategy is presented to enhance the electrochemical stability and performance of aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (ZIBs) through laser‐assisted carbonization of chitosan biopolymer as a surface modification layer on zinc anodes (c‐Chi/Zn). The c‐Chi layer addresses critical challenges, including dendrite formation and uneven Zn deposition, by providing a stable, dendrite‐resistant interface. Comprehensive structural, chemical, and electrochemical analyses reveal that the c‐Chi layer improves Zn 2 ⁺ transport kinetics and significantly stabilizes the anode‐electrolyte interface, enabling long‐term cycling. Symmetrical and half‐cell configurations with c‐Chi/Zn anodes exhibit exceptional durability, maintaining cycling stability for over 3300 h at a 2.0 mA cm⁻ 2 current density. In full‐cell configurations, the c‐Chi/Zn║V₂O₅ system delivers a high specific capacity of 338 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.2 A g⁻¹ and has a capacity retention of 73% at 1.0 A g⁻¹ after 1000 cycles—far outperforming bare Zn║V₂O₅ cells, which retain only 41%. This work demonstrates that N‐doped porous carbon coating derived from chitosan enhances Zn anode performance in aqueous ZIBs. This scalable and eco‐friendly surface modification offers a promising pathway toward safe, high‐performance, and sustainable energy storage systems.

Source: Small

DOI: 10.1002/smll.202501293

Authors: Somayeh Asadi Haris, Sadaf Adhami, Recep Yuksel, Sang Ouk Kim

Institutions: Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology

Language: English

Topic: Advanced battery technologies research

Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Affordable and clean energy

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $5,790