Hanyang University researchers develop novel facet guided metal plating strategy, improving stability anode-free metal batteries

Anode-free metal batteries represent an exciting new design, where prefabricated anodes are eliminated to maximize energy densities. For example, in magnesium (Mg) metal batteries, instead of starting with an Mg anode, only a bare metal, usually copper (Cu) or Zinc (Zn), current collector is used as the anode side. When the batteries are first charged, Mg from the cathode deposits directly onto this collector, forming a thin Mg layer that acts as the anode. This avoids excess anode materials, making batteries lighter, more compact, and cheaper. Unfortunately, these batteries suffer from dendrite formation, which significantly affects battery capacities, stability, and poses the risk of short-circuiting, limiting practical application.

Now, a research team led by Associate Professor Hee-Dae Lim from the Department of Chemical Engineering at Hanyang University in South Korea has developed a novel facet-guided metal plating strategy to address this issue.  “We proposed a crystallographic strategy to achieve controlled Mg deposition by employing a facet-oriented Zn host, with a physicochemically polished surface,” explains Dr. Lim. Their study was published in Advanced Energy Materials on September 10, 2025.

Normally, current collector materials are used in their polycrystalline forms, which have randomly oriented grains and a high density of grain boundaries. Grains are tiny regions in a metal, where atoms are arranged in a certain direction. Grain boundaries create an uneven surface and ‘hot spots’ where Mg atoms pile up during plating, resulting in vertical Mg growth and eventually dendrites.

The researchers employed three key design approaches to solve this.

First, they chose Zn as the host metal, which is structurally similar to Mg.

Second, they engineered the Zn host to selectively expose the thermodynamically stable (002) facet, which gives Mg a smooth path to spread quickly and evenly across the surface. To achieve this (002) facet, the team subjected bare Zn (B-Zn) foil to a thermal annealing process.

Third, to minimize the impact of grain boundaries, the resulting B-Zn(002) substrate was subjected to reactive ion etching, creating P-Zn(002) with a physicochemically polished surface. As a result, in electrochemical tests, it effectively suppressed dendrite formation and improved battery stability, thanks to uniform, horizontal Mg growth. Specifically, a full anode free Mg cell with P-Zn(002) retained 87.58% of its initial capacity over more than 900 cycles at a high current density of 200 mA g^-1, well above typical operating conditions.

“Our facet guided Mg-metal platform can lead to the development of next-generation Mg-metal batteries with high energy densities that will be valuable for upcoming renewable energy-based smart grid infrastructure,” remarks Dr. Lim.

This breakthrough shows how crystallographic control can help in achieving stable anode-surfaces, paving the way for practical anode-free Mg metal batteries. 

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Reference
DOI: 10.1002/aenm.202503832

About Hanyang University
Hanyang University traces its roots back to 1939 when the Dong-A Engineering Institute was established. By 1948, the institute had transformed into the nation’s first private university, evolving into Hanyang University in 1959. At its core, Hanyang University upholds the Founding Philosophy of “Love in Deed and Truth,” and its mission is to provide practical education and professional training to future experts and leaders. With a rich history spanning nearly a century, Hanyang University continues to uphold its core values while adapting to the evolving landscape of education and research, both domestically and internationally.
Website: https://www.hanyang.ac.kr/web/eng

About the Associate Professor Hee-Dae Lim
Dr. Hee-Dae Lim is an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at Hanyang University. His research focuses on next-generation batteries beyond lithium, including multivalent-ion (Mg, Zn, Al), all-solid-state, and anode-free systems. By integrating interface engineering with advanced electrochemistry, his group develops strategies to control metal deposition, suppress dendrites, and enhance the safety and cost-effectiveness of energy storage. Before joining Hanyang University, he was a postdoctoral fellow in Prof. Ping Liu’s group at the University of California, San Diego, and earned his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering under Prof. Kisuk Kang at Seoul National University in 2016.