Depositing a hydrophobic layer through a facile vapor method for stable Zn metal anode

The inherent safety and high energy density of aqueous Zn-ion batteries (AZIBs), coupled with the abundant reserves of Zn, make them an ideal candidate for the following generation of energy storage devices. Nevertheless, the growth of dendrites and water decomposition seriously hinder the commercialization of AZIBs. This work proposes depositing a thin polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layer on the Zn surface through a simple vapor method (PDMS@Zn) to address the above challenges. Significantly, the presence of this PDMS layer degrades the resistance of nucleation, optimizes the crystal orientation of Zn²⁺ deposition, isolates and protects Zn anode, and restricts the flow of Zn²⁺, improving the kinetics of Zn²⁺ deposition and homogenizes Zn²⁺ stripping/plating. The assembled PDMS@Zn symmetrical batteries exhibit 25 mV low voltage hysteresis for 1500 h cycles at 1 mA cm⁻², 0.5 mA h cm⁻², and the full-cell with an ultra-long cycle life of 2500 cycles.