ZnSe grown on carbon nanofibers derived from ZIF-8 as a zincophilic layer for zinc metal anodes

Abstract

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) show great potential as future energy storage systems for next-generation applications. However, zinc anodes face challenges like dendrite formation, corrosion, and hydrogen evolution reactions, which severely limit their performance and practical applications. Herein, zinc selenide carbon nanofibers (ZnSe/CNFs) were fabricated using an electrospinning technique followed by carbonization and selenization processes and employed as anode protection material. This unique structure enhances electrical conductivity and mechanical stability while effectively inhibiting dendrite growth and additional reactions involving the zinc anode through the three-dimensional network structure of CNFs. Electrochemical tests demonstrate that zinc anodes, when protected by a ZnSe/CNF composite, exhibit excellent cycling stability in symmetric batteries. At a current density of 1 mA cm⁻², cycling stability can be sustained for over 1700 h with a significantly lower polarization voltage. Furthermore, the ZnSe/CNFs@Zn‖V₂O₅ battery achieves excellent rate capability and long cycle life, maintaining an areal capacity of 109 mAh g⁻¹ after 2000 cycles at 5 A g⁻¹. This study demonstrates the successful preparation of high-performance ZnSe/CNFs materials through electrospinning and selenization strategies, providing an efficient and scalable solution for Zn anode protection.