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The limited durability of Zn anodes in aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) can largely be attributed to disordered ion transport and sluggish kinetics. In this work, a functional separator comprising bacterial cellulose functionalized with boehmite (BM/BC) is developed to regulate the ion flux, enhancing both the selectivity and kinetics of Zn2+ transport. The BM/BC separator leverages strong coordination between its polar surface functional groups and electrolyte species to effectively anchor H2O molecules and SO42– anions. This anchoring effect facilitates Zn2+ desolvation and selective migration, yielding an exceptional Zn2+ transference number of 0.81 and significant suppression of interfacial side reactions. Furthermore, the nucleophilic property of boehmite mitigates the strong adsorption of Zn2+ by the cellulose chains, thereby conferring the BM/BC interfaces with low Zn2+ diffusion barriers, which can accelerate Zn2+ transport and homogenize the Zn2+ flux. Consequently, the BM/BC separator effectively suppresses interfacial degradation of the Zn anode, as collectively demonstrated by the extended lifespan (>2900 h) in Zn||Zn symmetric batteries, stable cycling (>1000 cycles) in Zn||MnO2 full batteries, and robust performance in pouch configurations. This work provides a feasible strategy and fundamental insights for the design of advanced separators for high-performance AZIBs.
Ying et al. (Wed,) studied this question.