Ordered zinc electrodeposition from single-crystal units to polycrystalline stacking within solid-electrolyte interphase in battery anodes

Controlling Zinc (Zn) nucleation and subsequent crystal growth are critical for long lifespan aqueous zinc metal batteries. However, the concurrent side reactions and unstable solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) formations impedes the continuous Zn metal electrodeposition. Herein, induced by a well-designed organic/inorganic dual-phase SEI, we realize ordered zinc electrodeposition of polycrystalline stackings from single-crystal building blocks. The uncommon SEI with appropriate ion transport kinetics and thermodynamic stability protects deposited zinc from side reactions of hydrogen evolution and metal corrosion, enabling rapid and long single crystal Zn nucleation, followed by mitigated crystal growth, and…