Hydrophilic-hydrophobic structure of ANF/MFC separator for high-stable dendrite-free aqueous zinc-ion batteries

doi:10.1016/j.jmst.2024.12.074

J. Mater. Sci. Technol. ›› 2025, Vol. 230: 282-290.DOI: 10.1016/j.jmst.2024.12.074

• Research Article • Previous Articles Next Articles

Hydrophilic-hydrophobic structure of ANF/MFC separator for high-stable dendrite-free aqueous zinc-ion batteries

Yong Wang^a, Yujie Shen^a, Jizhen Wang^a, Yuchao Ma^a, Wenli Li^b, Shuo Yang^a, Long Jiao^a, Dengkun Shu^a, Leixing Yang^a,c,d,*, Bowen Cheng^a,*

^aState Key Laboratory of Bio-based Fiber Materials, China Textile Industry Key Laboratory of High-performance Fibers Wet-laid Nonwoven Materials, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Pulp and Paper, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin 300457, China;
^bSchool of Materials Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300130, China;
^cWanli Energy Technology Development Co., Ltd, Institute of Carbon Neutrality, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo 315100, China;
^dTianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China

Received:2024-10-08 Revised:2024-12-07 Accepted:2024-12-29 Published:2025-09-20 Online:2025-09-15
Contact: *E-mail addresses: Leixinyang@tust.edu.cn (L. Yang), bowenc17@tust.edu.cn (B. Cheng)

Abstract

Abstract: Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) exhibit great potential in grid-scale energy storage fields due to their inherent safety, high theoretical capacity, and low cost. However, the uncontrolled zinc (Zn) dendrites and undesirable side reactions severely impede the stable cycling and lifespan of AZIBs. Herein, a composite separator with hydrophilic-hydrophobic structure is designed to regulate the de-solvation of Zn²⁺ and stable Zn plating/stripping. The composite separator features the differences in hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity from the hydrophilic microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) and hydrophobic aramid nanofibers (ANF). By the synergistic effect of the hydroxyl group in MFC with affinity to water and the carbonyl in hydrophobic ANF with zincophilic, the optimized cell showed rapid, low energy barrier de-solvation of hydrated Zn²⁺, homogeneous deposition of Zn²⁺ and dendrite-free Zn. Benefited from the hydrophilic-hydrophobic structure, the Zn//Zn symmetric cells with ANF/MFC separator exhibit a stable lifespan of over 3800 h at 1 mA cm^-2 (1 mAh cm^-2), which is nearly 20 times of the symmetric cells with glass fiber (GF) separator. In addition, the unique structure of separator can significantly enhance the stability of the anodes, which contribute to improved cyclability of full cell compared to those using other separators. This work provides new insights into designing advanced structure of separators and promotes the practical application of AZIBs.

Key words: Aqueous zinc-ion batteries, Nanofiber materials, Composite separator, Hydrophilic-hydrophobic structure, Dendrite-free anode

Yong Wang, Yujie Shen, Jizhen Wang, Yuchao Ma, Wenli Li, Shuo Yang, Long Jiao, Dengkun Shu, Leixing Yang, Bowen Cheng. Hydrophilic-hydrophobic structure of ANF/MFC separator for high-stable dendrite-free aqueous zinc-ion batteries[J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2025, 230: 282-290.

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Hydrophilic-hydrophobic structure of ANF/MFC separator for high-stable dendrite-free aqueous zinc-ion batteries

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