A n international research collaboration , from Sun Yat-sen University , South China University of Technology , University of Liverpool and JiangSu CheeShine Performance Materials Co. , has developed a mechanically adaptive artificial interphase for ultrafast zinc metal batteries. By constructing a spider-web-like nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) nanofiber interphase , the researchers achieved synergistic regulation of homogeneous Zn 2+ transport, free-water blocking, and interfacial deformation buffering. This strategy transforms unstable zinc growth into a uniform and confined surface deposition process. Based on this interphase, Zn//Zn symmetric cells can operate stably for more than 6,000 hours, while Zn//V 2 O 5 full cells deliver stable cycling for 20,000 cycles at an ultrahigh rate of 50 A g -1 , providing a new interfacial engineering strategy for safe and high-power aqueous zinc batteries.
Rechargeable aqueous zinc batteries are considered promising candidates for large-scale energy storage, fast-response energy systems, and grid peak-shaving applications because of their high safety, low cost, and high-power capability. Compared with conventional batteries using organic electrolytes, aqueous zinc batteries offer superior safety and environmental adaptability, while metallic zinc possesses high volumetric capacity and abundant natural resources.
However, zinc metal anodes still face major challenges in practical applications, particularly under high current densities and ultrafast charging conditions. During rapid plating/stripping processes, uneven Zn 2+ flux, localized electric-field amplification, hydrogen evolution and corrosion side reactions, and interfacial mechanical deformation are strongly coupled, leading to dendrite growth, surface roughening, increased polarization, and even short-circuit failure. Existing inorganic protective layers can partially regulate electric-field distribution but are generally brittle and unable to withstand repeated volume changes. Conventional polymer coatings offer chemical tunability but are usually dense structures that cannot simultaneously provide rapid ion transport and mechanical compliance. Therefore, simultaneously regulating ion transport, interfacial chemistry, and mechanical deformation under ultrafast charging conditions is critical for achieving long-life zinc metal batteries.
The Solution : The research consortium proposed that interfacial mechanical adaptability is a key design parameter for stabilizing zinc metal anodes under extreme current densities. To this end, the scientists fabricated a spider-web-like NBR nanofiber interphase on zinc metal surfaces through electrospinning. Unlike conventional dense coatings, this interphase consists of highly interconnected elastic nanofibers that provide continuous and open ion-transport pathways while dispersing local stress and buffering rapid interfacial deformation during zinc plating and stripping.
The multifunctionality of the NBR interphase arises from the synergistic effects of its structure, mechanics, and chemistry. Its spider-web-like porous network facilitates electrolyte infiltration and homogeneous Zn 2+ migration. The low modulus and high stretchability enable the interphase to accommodate repeated volume changes, reducing the risks of cracking and delamination. Meanwhile, the nitrile groups (–C≡N) in NBR interact with Zn 2+ and guide ion transport, whereas the hydrophobic polymer backbone helps prevent direct contact between free water and the zinc surface, thereby suppressing hydrogen evolution and corrosion side reactions.
Experimental results demonstrate that the NBR interphase lowers the activation energy for interfacial Zn 2+ transport, improves zinc deposition kinetics, and converts uncontrolled three-dimensional growth into a more uniform and surface-confined deposition process. In situ optical microscopy reveals that bare zinc rapidly develops dendrites under high current densities, whereas the NBR@Zn surface remains relatively smooth and stable. Simulations further confirm that the NBR interphase homogenizes current-density distribution and alleviates local Zn 2+ depletion near the zinc–electrolyte interface.
Long-term cycling tests show significantly enhanced interfacial stability for NBR@Zn. Zn//Zn symmetric cells operate stably for more than 6,000 hours at 1 mA cm -2 and 1 mAh cm -2 , maintain stable voltage responses at a high current density of 20 mA cm -2 , and achieve reversible plating/stripping over a wide current-density range of 1–50 mA cm -2 . Furthermore, NBR@Zn//V₂O₅ full cells exhibit excellent capacity output over a broad rate range of 1–50 A g -1 and sustain stable cycling for 20,000 cycles at 50 A g -1 with a capacity retention of 76.8%. Pouch-cell tests further demonstrate the potential of this interfacial strategy for scalable fabrication and flexible energy-storage applications.
The Future: Future studies may further optimize this mechanically adaptive interphase under practical operating conditions, including increasing cathode loading, reducing electrolyte consumption, employing thinner zinc foils, and improving zinc utilization. In addition, more elastic polymer materials with tunable modulus, polarity, hydrophobicity, and ion affinity deserve systematic investigation to establish structure–property relationships among material design, interfacial mechanics, and electrochemical performance.
Moreover, in situ and operando characterization techniques will help reveal the dynamic evolution of Zn 2+ flux, local pH, interfacial stress, and deposition morphology during ultrafast charging processes. This strategy may also be extended from coin cells to pouch cells and large-area devices, providing a more reliable interfacial engineering solution for the large-scale deployment of aqueous zinc batteries.
The Impact: This work not only achieves high-rate and long-life zinc metal batteries but also introduces the concept of "interfacial mechanical adaptability" as a key design principle. Unlike conventional strategies that mainly focus on chemical passivation or single ion-regulation mechanisms, this study emphasizes that artificial interphases should dynamically adapt to the mechanical changes induced by repeated metal plating and stripping while simultaneously maintaining stable ion transport and suppressing side reactions.
This concept provides a new paradigm for designing high-power aqueous zinc batteries and may also be extended to other metal-based energy-storage systems, including lithium and sodium batteries. For next-generation safe, durable, and fast-response energy-storage devices, mechanically adaptive artificial interphases may serve as an important bridge between materials design and practical applications.
The research has been recently reported in the manuscript titled A Mechanically Adaptive Spider-Web-Like Interphase Enables Second-Level Ultrafast and Durable Zinc Metal Batteries .
Reference: Shuo Zhao, Safu Pu, Yangming Zhang, Zhen Liu, Ruiyong Chen, Zhengyin Yao, Xiang Yao, Dongbai Sun, Peng Zhang. A mechanically adaptive spider-web-like interphase enables second-level ultrafast and durable zinc metal batteries[J]. Materials Futures , 2026, 5(4): 045101. DOI: 10.1088/2752-5724/ae7b66
Materials Futures
A mechanically adaptive spider-web-like interphase enables second-level ultrafast and durable zinc metal batteries
7-Jul-2026