Stable, high-performance, dendrite-free, seawater-based aqueous batteries

Metal anode instability in aqueous batteries, including dendrite growth, corrosion, and hetero-ion interference, hinders their widespread use. This paper proposes a universal strategy to overcome these issues by designing alloyed materials, using Zn-Mn alloys as a model. In-situ optical visualization and finite element analysis were used to analyze electrochemical behaviors. Zn-Mn alloy anodes demonstrated stability over thousands of cycles, even in seawater-based electrolytes at high current densities (80 mA cm⁻²). This design strategy and visualization protocol represent a significant advancement in developing durable electrodes for aqueous batteries.

Huajun Tian, Zhao Li, Guangxia Feng, Zhenzhong Yang, David Fox, Maoyu Wang, Hua Zhou, Lei Zhai, Akihiro Kushima, Yingge Du, Zhenxing Feng, Xiaonan Shan, Yang Yang