These byproducts were spontaneously converted into useful MOF nanosheets through unique properties of ligands. This optimization on the morphology and texture could be attributed to the horizontal alignment of Zn 2+ ions by the constraints of MOF nanosheets.Īdditionally, the presence of MOF ligands contributed to the elimination of undesirable Zn 4SO 4(OH) 6♴H 2O byproducts. Specifically, the zinc electrode was gradually reconstructed towards a horizontally aligned lamellae-like morphology and enhanced (002) texture, showing a relative texture coefficient of a 96.9 (maximum value of 100). The dynamic MOF nanosheets could continually optimize zinc anode during cycling. The researchers found that metal organic framework (MOF) nanosheets featuring migration capability under electric field due to their one-dimensional channel structure and preferential Zn 2+ adsorption, as well as unique reductive chemistry due to the weak coordination between ligands and zinc ions, enables them to serve as dynamic Zn 2+ ion carriers. This study was published in Energy & Environmental Science on Aug. This method provides an efficient pathway to overcome the dendrite and side reaction problems. Zhu Kaiyue from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has proposed a strategy using 'ion carriers' by importing macromolecular Zn 2+ carriers with a large mass-to-charge ratio to decouple the ion flux from the inhomogeneous electric field and substrate.

Cathode reaction