Achieving Planar Zn Electroplating in Aqueous Zinc Batteries with Cathode-compatible Current Densities by Cycling under Pressure.

The value of rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries is held back by the degradation of the Zn metal anode with repeated cycling. While raising the operating current density has been shown to alleviate this anode degradation, such high cycling rates are not compatible with full cells, as they cause Zn-host cathodes to undergo capacity decay. A simple approach that improves anode performance while using more modest cathode-compatible current densities is required. We report reversible planar Zn deposition under cathode-compatible current densities can instead be achieved by applying external pressure to the cell. Employing multiscale characterization, we illustrate how cycling under pressure results in denser and more uniform Zn deposition, analogous to that achieved under high cycling rates, even at low areal current densities of 1 to 10 mA cm -2 . Microstructural mechanical measurements reveal that Zn structures plated under lower current densities are particularly susceptible to pressure-induced compression. The ability to achieve planar Zn plating at cathode-compatible current densities holds significant promise for enabling high-capacity Zn-ion battery full cells. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.