Unlocking long-duration performance: MXene artificial interface for dendrite-free zinc-ion battery

The further advancement of high-performance zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) is restrained by inevitable metal dendrites in Zn anodes. Researchers actively pursue strategies to develop chemically stable, dendrite-free zinc anodes. Herein, we employ a zinc dendrite-inhibiting tactic by using highly conductive accordion-like V 2 CT x -MXene as robust artificial interface layers. Base on in-situ optical microscope, laser scanning confocal microscope and electrochemical analysis, the results confirm that the artificial interface can prevent direct contact between electrolyte and anode, which minimizes the chances of side reactions occurring. V 2 CT x -MXene@Zn electrode provides a stable Zn anode surface and facilitates homogeneous deposition of Zn ions. The V 2 CT x -MXene@Zn symmetric cell depicts the reinforced stability with over 2000 h life span at 0.5 mA cm −2 and 1.0 mAh cm −2 . The full batteries can work at 5 A g −1 up to 2000 cycles with a high-capacity retention of 86.64%. This work offers a controllable interface protection strategy to achieve long-duration and dendrite-free zinc-ion battery.