Dendrite-free and anticorrosion Zn anode induced by the robust CeF₃ interfacial layer

Side reactions (Zn corrosion and hydrogen evolution reactions) and uncontrollable Zn dendrites at the Zn/electrolyte interface significantly reduce the lifetime of Zn anodes, thereby limiting the practical application of aqueous Zn-based energy storage devices. Here, the robust CeF₃ interfacial phase with excellent corrosion resistance was in situ constructed on the surface of Zn anode. This CeF₃ interfacial phase can inhibit harmful side reactions and optimize the Zn deposition behavior, thereby enhancing the cycling stability of the Zn anode. Compared with the pure Zn electrode, the CeF₃-Zn electrode demonstrated excellent corrosion resistance within a wide temperature range (25–55 °C), which can be attributed to the inherent structural stability of the CeF₃ phase. Furthermore, the CeF₃ interfacial phase exhibited excellent Zn²⁺ conductivity owing to its unique fluorine sites, which result in uniform and dense Zn deposits. Therefore, the anticorrosion, dendrite-free CeF₃-Zn anode without by-product accumulation was obtained. Ultimately, the CeF₃-Zn electrode exhibited outstanding cycling stability (maintaining a polarization potential below 50 mV after 3600 cycles in symmetric cells at a current density of 2 mA cm⁻²) and great promise for practical application (having a capacity retention rate of 60% after 3000 cycles in CeF₃-Zn//AC zinc-ion capacitors at a current density of 1000 mA g⁻¹).