Molecular Regulation of Zn²⁺ Solvation Structure and Interphase Evolution by Glutaronitrile for Stable Aqueous Zinc Metal Batteries.

Authors

Zhongyu Wan, Dong Li, Fei Wang, Houzhao Wan

Published in

Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland). Volume 16. Issue 15. Jul 30, 2026. Epub Jul 30, 2026.

Abstract

Aqueous zinc metal batteries are promising for safe and cost-effective energy storage. However, their practical application is limited by the intrinsic instability of the Zn/electrolyte interface, including water-induced hydrogen evolution, Zn corrosion, and dendrite-prone Zn deposition. Herein, glutaronitrile (GLN) is introduced as a multifunctional dinitrile additive to stabilize Zn metal anodes through coupled regulation of solvation chemistry and interfacial evolution. The polar C≡N groups of GLN can coordinate with Zn²⁺, to replace part of the water molecules in the primary solvation shell, thereby suppressing the activity of coordinated water. Meanwhile, uncoordinated C≡N groups act as hydrogen-bond acceptors to reorganize the surrounding water network, further suppressing free-water participation in hydrogen evolution and corrosion. This dual regulation optimizes the Zn/electrolyte interfacial environment, improves electrolyte wettability on Zn, homogenizes Zn²⁺ flux, and promotes compact, dendrite-suppressed Zn deposition. Additionally, GLN promotes the formation of a chemically heterogeneous interfacial structure enriched with ZnF₂ in the inner region, which further protects the Zn surface and stabilizes the Zn plating/stripping process. The optimized ZHG6 electrolyte enables Zn||Zn symmetric cells to cycle stably for over 900 h at 1 mA cm^-2 and 1 mAh cm^-2, while Zn||Cu cells maintain high Coulombic efficiency during long-term cycling. Furthermore, Zn||V₆O₁₃ full cells exhibit enhanced cycling stability and rate capability, achieving stable operation for 3200 cycles at 5 A g^-1. As evidenced in this work, dinitrile-based molecular additives provide an effective and scalable strategy to fabricate durable aqueous zinc metal batteries.

PMID:
42584335
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 12 Aug 2026.

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