Water-shielding electric double layer and stable interphase engineering for durable aqueous zinc-ion batteries

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries persistently encounter interface issues stemming from the water-rich electrical double layer and unstable solid-electrolyte interphase, drastically compromising reversibility and cyclability. Here we show that trace amounts of nonionic amphiphilic polysorbate additives promote the formation of water-shielding electric double layer and stabilize solid-electrolyte interphase for practical zinc-ion batteries. We demonstrate that polysorbate molecules can produce preferential chemisorption and directional arrangement on the Zn anode, spontaneously forming water-shielding layer to suppress the water-related side reactions. Simultaneously, polysorbate molecules can assist the construction…