ZnO Quantum Dots Packed with Functional Groups: A Smart Coating Layer for Dendrite-Free Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries.

Authors

Zhaoen Liu, Yiwen Hu, Jikang Zheng, Xizhang Chen, Lujia Chai, Chengcheng Miao, Liang Zhang, Wenfu Liu, Yujuan Chen, Dong Sun, Kelei Zhuo

Published in

Nano letters. Jun 17, 2026. Epub Jun 17, 2026.

Abstract

A nanostructured interfacial engineering strategy employing zinc oxide quantum dots (ZnOQD) is designed to stabilize Zn metal anodes (ZnOQD@Zn). Because of their ultrasmall size, intrinsic hydrophilicity, and abundant surface functional groups, the uniformly dispersed ZnOQD constructs a multifunctional interlayer that enables continuous Zn²⁺ transport, homogenizes interfacial ion flux, and lowers the energy barriers associated with Zn²⁺ desolvation and nucleation. Meanwhile, this interlayer suppresses dendrite growth, hydrogen evolution, and corrosion by limiting direct contact between Zn and water. As a result, the ZnOQD@Zn anode exhibits highly reversible Zn plating and stripping together with enhanced cycling stability. When assembled with a NaV₃O₈·1.5H₂O (NVO) cathode, the ZnOQD@Zn cell delivers excellent rate capability and long-term durability, even under high cathode loadings. This work presents a simple, scalable, and effective interfacial regulation strategy enabled by quantum dots, offering fundamental insights into the rational design of durable, outstanding aqueous zinc ion batteries.

PMID:
42308365
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 18 Jun 2026.

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