Coordinating zincophilic sites and a solvation shell for a dendrite-free Zn anode under the synergistic effects of polyacrylonitrile and dimethyl sulfoxide.

The advantages of aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are largely offset by the dendrite growth on the Zn anode, which is induced by the heterogeneous electrical field and limited ion transport of the Zn anode-electrolyte interface during plating and stripping. Here, we propose a dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-HO hybrid electrolyte containing polyacrylonitrile (PAN) additives (PAN-DMSO-HO) to improve the electrical field and ion transport of the Zn anode, which can thus effectively inhibit dendrite growth. Experimental characterization and theoretical calculations show that PAN preferentially adsorbs on the Zn anode surface and provides abundant zincophilic sites after its solubilization by the DMSO, enabling a balanced electric field and lateral Zn plating.