Toward Simultaneous Dense Zinc Deposition and Broken Side-Reaction Loops in the Zn//V₂O₅ System

The Zn//V₂O₅ system not only faces the incontrollable growth of zinc (Zn) dendrites, but also withstands the cross-talk effect of by-products produced from the cathode side to the Zn anode, inducing interelectrode talk and aggravating battery failure. To tackle these issues, we construct a rapid Zn²⁺-conducting hydrogel electrolyte (R-ZSO) to achieve Zn deposition modulation and side reaction inhibition in Zn//V₂O₅ full cells. The polymer matrix and BN exhibit a robust anchoring effect on SO₄²⁻, accelerating Zn²⁺ migration and enabling dense Zn deposition behavior. Therefore, the Zn//Zn symmetric cells based on the R-ZSO electrolyte can operate stably for more than 1500 h, which is six times higher than that of cells employing the blank electrolyte. More importantly, the R-ZSO hydrogel electrolyte effectively decouples the cross-talk effects, thus breaking the infinite loop of side reactions. As a result, the Zn//V₂O₅ cells using this modified hydrogel electrolyte demonstrate stable operation over 1,000 cycles, with a capacity loss rate of only 0.028 % per cycle. Our study provides a promising gel chemistry, which offers a valuable guide for the construction of high-performance and multifunctional aqueous Zn-ion batteries.