Tailoring the Crystal‐Chemical States of Water Molecules in Sepiolite for Superior Coating Layers of Zn Metal Anodes

Abstract Protective coatings are effective in stabilizing Zn metal anodes. Nevertheless, the diverse features of the coating material increase the interface's complexity and often conceal the real mechanism of how the coating functions on electrode behavior. Moreover, the lack of precise regulation for a targeting feature results in ostensible correlations between structure and function, which sets great obstacles for further improving Zn anode performance. Herein, sepiolite, a hydrated mineral, and its derived materials to protect the Zn anode is introduced. By precisely tailoring different kinds of water molecules, the crystal/chemical states of the coating material is managed to regulate. Their impacts on Zn anode kinetics are revealed by experiments and DFT calculations, which indicate major interactions of Zn with the…