Heterometallic Seed‐Mediated Zinc Deposition on Inkjet Printed Silver Nanoparticles Toward Foldable and Heat‐Resistant Zinc Batteries

• Published in: Advanced functional materials Vol. 31; no. 24
• Main Authors: Chen, Tao, Wang, Yinan, Yang, Yi, Huang, Fei, Zhu, Mingke, Ang, Barbara Ting Wei, Xue, Jun Min
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.06.2021
• Subjects: Alloying; Anodes; Carbon; Current density; Dendritic structure; Deposition; foldable; heat‐resistant; heterometallic seeds; High current; High temperature; Inkjet printing; Low voltage; Materials science; Nanoparticles; Nucleation; Silver; Thermal conductivity; Zinc; zinc metal anodes; Zinc plating
• ISSN: 1616-301X; 1616-3028
• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202101607

To achieve high performed zinc metal batteries, it is imperative to address the issues of dendrite growth and the side‐reactions occurring at the Zn anode, particularly when the batteries are operated at high current densities and high temperature. Herein, a flexible and dendrite‐free Zn metal anode (AgNPs@CC/Zn), which is prepared by inkjet printing silver nanoparticles on a 3D carbon matrix, is reported. Experimental observations and DFT calculation reveal that the Ag nanoparticles can work as heterometallic seeds for zinc deposition, and thus simultaneously improve the zincophilicity and thermal conductivity of the carbon matrix. This not only lowers the Zn nucleation overpotential and guides the uniform Zn nucleation but also promotes the reversible zinc stripping/plating via AgZn alloying/de‐alloying reactions. As a result, the AgNPs@CC/Zn anode presents low voltage hysteresis of 80 mV and superior cycling over 480 h at a high current density of 10 mA cm−2. The AgNPs@CC/Zn anode can enable full cells with exceptional cyclic stability and enhanced high‐temperature endurance. Furthermore, the foldable pouch cell using the AgNPs@CC/Zn anode exhibits high capacity retention regardless of different deformation status. This work demonstrates the promising potential of inkjet printing technology in developing 3D dendrite‐free zinc anode for foldable and heat‐resistant zinc batteries. A flexible and dendrite‐free Zn metal anode is prepared by inkjet printing silver nanoparticles on a 3D carbon matrix, boosting electrochemical performance of zinc metal batteries. The Ag nanoparticles as heterometallic seeds can promote reversible zinc stripping/plating via AgZn alloying/de‐alloying reactions and improve the zincophilicity and thermal conductivity of the carbon matrix.