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Article

Ultra-Stable Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries Enabled by Trace Ionic Liquid–Polar Solvent Synergistic Induction of Vertically Oriented (101) Facet Epitaxial Growth

by
Fenglin Zhang
1,2,
Die Chen
1,
Luo Zhang
1,2,
Chenxia Zhao
2,
Ming Zhang
3,
Xinyi Li
2,
Ting He
1,
Zimiao Lu
2,
Xiaohong He
1,
Gengpei Xia
4 and
Dingyu Yang
1,5,*
1
Sichuan Meteorological Optoelectronic Sensor Technology and Application Engineering Research Center, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu 610225, China
2
Information Materials and Device Applications Key Laboratory of Sichuan Provincial Universities, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu 610225, China
3
School of Materials and Energy, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
4
Chengdu Product Quality Inspection and Research Institute Co., Ltd., Chengdu 610100, China
5
Optoelectronic Sensor Devices and Systems Key Laboratory of Sichuan Provincial Universities, College of Optoelectronic Engineering (Chengdu IC Valley Industrial College), Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu 610225, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Inventions 2026, 11(3), 57; https://doi.org/10.3390/inventions11030057
Submission received: 25 March 2026 / Revised: 25 May 2026 / Accepted: 27 May 2026 / Published: 4 June 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Electrode Material for Electrochemical Production Conversion and Storage of Energy)
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Abstract

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are promising for grid-scale storage due to their safety, low cost, and environmental benignity. However, water-dipole enrichment in the inner Helmholtz plane (IHP) of Zn anodes triggers hydrogen evolution, corrosion, and dendrites, limiting cycle life. We report a trace “ionic liquid–polar solvent coupling” strategy: adding only 0.01 M EMIMBF4 and 0.03 M DMSO to 2 M ZnSO4 electrolyte. Hydrophobic EMIM+ adsorbs on the IHP to expel interfacial water, while BF4− enters the primary solvation shell and DMSO penetrates both first and second shells of Zn2+, forming a water-deficient coordination environment. This interfacial–solvation synergy suppresses parasitic reactions and directs preferentially oriented Zn deposition exclusively along the (101) facet, enabling dense vertical plating and in situ formation of a compact, inorganic-rich SEI (ZnCO3–ZnSO3–Zn(OH)2). Consequently, Zn||Zn cells cycle stably for >5362 h at 1 mA cm−2/1 mAh cm−2; Zn||Cu cells achieve 1300 cycles with 99.8% average Coulombic efficiency; and Zn||V2O5 full cells retain 326.4 mAh g−1 after 500 cycles. This work shows that minimal additive loading can simultaneously engineer the electrode–electrolyte interface and crystallographic deposition pathway, offering a simple yet robust design for ultra-stable AZIBs.
Keywords: (101)-oriented epitaxial growth; Helmholtz layer engineering; inorganic-rich SEI (101)-oriented epitaxial growth; Helmholtz layer engineering; inorganic-rich SEI

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MDPI and ACS Style

Zhang, F.; Chen, D.; Zhang, L.; Zhao, C.; Zhang, M.; Li, X.; He, T.; Lu, Z.; He, X.; Xia, G.; et al. Ultra-Stable Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries Enabled by Trace Ionic Liquid–Polar Solvent Synergistic Induction of Vertically Oriented (101) Facet Epitaxial Growth. Inventions 2026, 11, 57. https://doi.org/10.3390/inventions11030057

AMA Style

Zhang F, Chen D, Zhang L, Zhao C, Zhang M, Li X, He T, Lu Z, He X, Xia G, et al. Ultra-Stable Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries Enabled by Trace Ionic Liquid–Polar Solvent Synergistic Induction of Vertically Oriented (101) Facet Epitaxial Growth. Inventions. 2026; 11(3):57. https://doi.org/10.3390/inventions11030057

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zhang, Fenglin, Die Chen, Luo Zhang, Chenxia Zhao, Ming Zhang, Xinyi Li, Ting He, Zimiao Lu, Xiaohong He, Gengpei Xia, and et al. 2026. "Ultra-Stable Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries Enabled by Trace Ionic Liquid–Polar Solvent Synergistic Induction of Vertically Oriented (101) Facet Epitaxial Growth" Inventions 11, no. 3: 57. https://doi.org/10.3390/inventions11030057

APA Style

Zhang, F., Chen, D., Zhang, L., Zhao, C., Zhang, M., Li, X., He, T., Lu, Z., He, X., Xia, G., & Yang, D. (2026). Ultra-Stable Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries Enabled by Trace Ionic Liquid–Polar Solvent Synergistic Induction of Vertically Oriented (101) Facet Epitaxial Growth. Inventions, 11(3), 57. https://doi.org/10.3390/inventions11030057

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