PUBLICATION

Advanced Soft Energy Materials Lab

Publication

Publication

68. Zincophilic Porous Carbon Interface with Dendrite-Free Zinc Deposition via Selective Ion Regulation for Aqueous Zinc Ion Batteries
Authors
Yanghyun Cho†, Chanho An, Yeonjin Lee, Sang Wan Seo, Dayeong Gang, Junsu Son, Gyuri Kim, Minsu Gu, Tae Kyung Lee, Chi-Ju Kim*, Ji Sun Im*, Seulki Song*, Woo-Jin Song*
미래원천 창의전문연구실 (25YB2200), 우수신진연구 (NRF-2022R1C1C1009974), 차세대이차전지전문인력양성 (RS-2024-00447869), 소재부품기술개발사업-패키지형 (RS-2024-00449353)
Journal
Small
Page
e73286
Date
(2026.04), JCR: 7.49%, IF: 12.1
Year
2026

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The development of a protective layer that not only blocks parasitic reactions but also actively regulates Zn2+ transport and nucleation behavior is critical for the advancement of aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs). In this study, we propose a novel interfacial engineering strategy based on a zincophilic porous carbon (ZPC) coating, which provides selective Zn2+ adsorption and directional Zn2+ flux regulation. The ZPC layer composed of poly (acrylic acid) (PAA)-grafted carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) (CLP) and activated carbon (AC) synergistically integrates zincophilic functional groups and a porous structure. This design enables rapid Zn2+ desolvation and effectively suppresses dendrite formation. The selective Zn2+ affinity of the ZPC layer minimize hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and corrosion, while promoting preferential Zn deposition along the (002) crystallographic plane. As a result, ZPC@Zn exhibits an extended lifespan exceeding 3,600 hours at 4 mA cm-2 and stable Zn plating/stripping at a high depth of discharge (43%). Full cells paired with an iodine cathode demonstrates excellent rate capability and outstanding cycle stability, maintaining approximately 90% capacity retention over 5,000 cycles at 10 C. This work establishes a new paradigm in interfacial layer design and paves the way for dendrite-free, high-performance AZIBs.