3D-printed flexible anode for high-performance zinc ion battery

Three-dimensional (3D) printed battery has received an increasing attention for creating structures with enhanced performance. Zinc ion battery (ZIB) is a promising energy storage system due to its high safety, low cost, and high volumetric capacity; however, the rapid evaporation of Zn has limited its 3D printability. Here, we develop a unique 3D-printed flexible ZIB with an engineered surface area of Zn anode using direct ink writing. The 3D-printed Zn anodes effectively suppress the dendrite growth while providing high Zn-ion diffusion resulting in the high specific capacity of 650 mAh/g at 0.2 A/g and long-term cyclic stability. Graphical abstract