# Aqueous zinc-ion batteries: taming the zinc anode, from electrolyte to cathode

> A honeycomb of twelve tiles on aqueous zinc-ion batteries: why zinc is an attractive anode in water (820 mAh g⁻¹, −0.76 V, safe), what goes wrong on it (hexagonal dendrites, hydrogen gas, corrosion and by-products), how electrolytes and interfaces fix it (additives that rebuild the Zn²⁺ water shell, water-in-salt electrolytes, a graphene template), and the MnO₂ and vanadium-oxide cathodes that host Zn²⁺.

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- Updated: 2026-10-14
- Category: Graphical abstracts
- Method: Graphical abstract
- Starting materials: Zinc foil, a mild aqueous zinc-salt electrolyte and an oxide cathode
- Product: A safe, low-cost aqueous zinc-ion cell for stationary storage
- Key result: 820 mAh g⁻¹ and −0.762 V (Wang et al. 2018); 99.83% CE over 2000 cycles (Fan et al. 2024); MnO₂ 225 mAh g⁻¹, 94% over 2000 cycles (Zhang et al. 2017); MnO₂ theoretical ≈308 mAh g⁻¹ (Zhao et al. 2025); VOH 451 mAh g⁻¹ (Jia et al. 2024)
- Figure: 1920 × 1080 px, 215 editable layers (2 generated objects with settings)

## Steps

1. **Why zinc**: 820 mAh g⁻¹, −0.762 V vs SHE, abundant, low toxicity, intrinsically safe in water (Wang et al. 2018)
2. **What goes wrong**: Dendrites of hexagonal Zn crystals, hydrogen evolution with passivating by-products and self-corrosion, each worsening the others (Fan et al. 2024; Wang et al. 2026)
3. **Fix the electrolyte and the interface**: Additives that replace water in the [Zn(H₂O)₆]²⁺ shell: 99.83% CE for 2000 cycles (Fan et al. 2024); concentrated Zn + Li salts (water-in-salt): dendrite-free at nearly 100% CE (Wang et al. 2018); graphene for epitaxial Zn (Zheng et al. 2019)
4. **Host Zn²⁺ in the cathode**: Tunnel MnO₂ turns into layered zinc-buserite and takes Zn²⁺: 225 mAh g⁻¹, 94% over 2000 cycles (Zhang et al. 2017); layered V₂O₅·nH₂O, 451 mAh g⁻¹ (Jia et al. 2024)

## Uses

- Graphical abstracts on aqueous zinc-ion batteries
- Talks on zinc anode protection and electrolyte design
- Teaching post-lithium grid storage

## References

1. Wang et al., “Highly reversible zinc metal anode for aqueous batteries”, Nat. Mater. 2018. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-018-0063-z (primary)
2. Fan et al., “Selection of negative charged acidic polar additives to regulate electric double layer for stable zinc ion battery”, Nano-Micro Lett. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-024-01475-5 (primary)
3. Zheng et al., “Reversible epitaxial electrodeposition of metals in battery anodes”, Science 2019. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aax6873 (primary)
4. Zhang et al., “Rechargeable aqueous zinc-manganese dioxide batteries with high energy and power densities”, Nat. Commun. 2017. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-00467-x (primary)
5. Zhao et al., “Advancing zinc-manganese oxide batteries: mechanistic insights, anode engineering, and cathode regulation”, Nanomaterials 2025. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15181439 (review)
6. Jia et al., “Weakly polarized organic cation-modified hydrated vanadium oxides for high-energy efficiency aqueous zinc-ion batteries”, Nano-Micro Lett. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-024-01339-y (primary)
7. Wang et al., “Polymer engineering for stable zinc metal anodes: from molecular design to integrated strategy”, Small 2026. https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.74911 (review)

Credit: Drawn by LabCanvas after Wang et al., Nat. Mater. 2018 (doi:10.1038/s41563-018-0063-z); Fan et al., Nano-Micro Lett. 2024 (doi:10.1007/s40820-024-01475-5); Zheng et al., Science 2019 (doi:10.1126/science.aax6873); Zhang et al., Nat. Commun. 2017 (doi:10.1038/s41467-017-00467-x); Zhao et al., Nanomaterials 2025 (doi:10.3390/nano15181439); Jia et al., Nano-Micro Lett. 2024 (doi:10.1007/s40820-024-01339-y).

## Questions

**What does the “Aqueous zinc-ion batteries: taming the zinc anode, from electrolyte to cathode” template show?** A honeycomb of twelve tiles on aqueous zinc-ion batteries: why zinc is an attractive anode in water (820 mAh g⁻¹, −0.76 V, safe), what goes wrong on it (hexagonal dendrites, hydrogen gas, corrosion and by-products), how electrolytes and interfaces fix it (additives that rebuild the Zn²⁺ water shell, water-in-salt electrolytes, a graphene template), and the MnO₂ and vanadium-oxide cathodes that host Zn²⁺.

**What are the steps shown in “Aqueous zinc-ion batteries: taming the zinc anode, from electrolyte to cathode”?** 1. Why zinc: 820 mAh g⁻¹, −0.762 V vs SHE, abundant, low toxicity, intrinsically safe in water (Wang et al. 2018). 2. What goes wrong: Dendrites of hexagonal Zn crystals, hydrogen evolution with passivating by-products and self-corrosion, each worsening the others (Fan et al. 2024; Wang et al. 2026). 3. Fix the electrolyte and the interface: Additives that replace water in the [Zn(H₂O)₆]²⁺ shell: 99.83% CE for 2000 cycles (Fan et al. 2024); concentrated Zn + Li salts (water-in-salt): dendrite-free at nearly 100% CE (Wang et al. 2018); graphene for epitaxial Zn (Zheng et al. 2019). 4. Host Zn²⁺ in the cathode: Tunnel MnO₂ turns into layered zinc-buserite and takes Zn²⁺: 225 mAh g⁻¹, 94% over 2000 cycles (Zhang et al. 2017); layered V₂O₅·nH₂O, 451 mAh g⁻¹ (Jia et al. 2024).

**What are the starting materials and the product?** Starting materials: Zinc foil, a mild aqueous zinc-salt electrolyte and an oxide cathode. Product: A safe, low-cost aqueous zinc-ion cell for stationary storage.

**Which papers is “Aqueous zinc-ion batteries: taming the zinc anode, from electrolyte to cathode” based on?** Wang et al., “Highly reversible zinc metal anode for aqueous batteries”, Nat. Mater. 2018 (doi:10.1038/s41563-018-0063-z); Fan et al., “Selection of negative charged acidic polar additives to regulate electric double layer for stable zinc ion battery”, Nano-Micro Lett. 2024 (doi:10.1007/s40820-024-01475-5); Zheng et al., “Reversible epitaxial electrodeposition of metals in battery anodes”, Science 2019 (doi:10.1126/science.aax6873); Zhang et al., “Rechargeable aqueous zinc-manganese dioxide batteries with high energy and power densities”, Nat. Commun. 2017 (doi:10.1038/s41467-017-00467-x); Zhao et al., “Advancing zinc-manganese oxide batteries: mechanistic insights, anode engineering, and cathode regulation”, Nanomaterials 2025 (doi:10.3390/nano15181439); Jia et al., “Weakly polarized organic cation-modified hydrated vanadium oxides for high-energy efficiency aqueous zinc-ion batteries”, Nano-Micro Lett. 2024 (doi:10.1007/s40820-024-01339-y); Wang et al., “Polymer engineering for stable zinc metal anodes: from molecular design to integrated strategy”, Small 2026 (doi:10.1002/smll.74911).

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