Robust nitrogen/selenium engineered MXene/ZnSe hierarchical multifunctional interfaces for dendrite-free zinc-metal batteries

Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries are deemed as attractive candidates for energy storage systems owning to their high safety, low cost, etc. However, the hazards caused by uncontrollable zinc (Zn) dendrites growth and side reactions hinder the practical applications. Herein, a 0D/1D/2D/3D zincophilic layer composed of electronic conductive N/Se-doped MXene nanoribbon/nanosheet and ionic conductive ZnSe nanoparticle is in-situ constructed on Zn foil in a scalable mode. The N/Se-MXene@ZnSe mixed conducting framework not only provides sufficient ionic and electronic channels for uniform Zn deposition, but also prevents side reactions by avoiding the direct contact between Zn anode and electrolytes. Inspired by the structure design, the homogeneous Zn deposition behaviors, low voltage hysteresis and stable cycle (more than 2500 h at 1 mA cm⁻²) can be achieved for the optimal N/Se-MXene@ZnSe@Zn-350 anode. The N/Se-MXene@ZnSe@Zn-350||N-MXene@MnO₂ full cell also achieves a stable cycling performance with nearly 100% Coulombic efficiency upon 600 cycles. The surface electrochemistry and engineering attempts will shed new light on the design of MXene-based materials and prosperity of dendrite-free aqueous Zn batteries.