Scalable electrodeposition method to construct zincophilic 3D Cu nanosheet current collector for Zn metal anode

초록

Designing current collectors is a promising strategy for achieving dendrite-free Zn deposition and enabling the application of Zn metal batteries without the excessive use of Zn. Herein, we report a fast and scalable electrodeposition method for synthesizing three-dimensional Cu nanosheets (3D Cu NS) that serve as current collectors and Zn substrates for Zn metal anodes. This method allows large-scale synthesis within approximately 9 min, making it highly suitable for continuous roll-to-roll synthesis on Cu foils. The hydrophilic nature of the nanostructure, combined with its zincophilic properties, significantly enhances the mass transfer and charge transfer characteristics of the Zn ions within the 3D Cu NS. Furthermore, the (111) plane of the Cu NS facilitates Zn deposition along the (002) plane, with the combined effects of the nanostructure and crystal plane properties resulting in uniform nucleation and formation of a compact Zn plating layer. Evaluations of the Cu NS/Zn asymmetric cell demonstrate a high coulombic efficiency of 99.8 % at 5 mA cm- 2, maintaining stability over 1700 cycles. In a full-cell evaluation with commercial V2O5, remarkable stability is achieved over 3500 cycles. This binder-free, flexible, and scalable design strategy for current collectors facilitates the practical application of high-performance Zn metal anodes.

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