Bioderived Monosaccharides as Green and Scalable Electrolyte Additives for Durable Aqueous Zinc–Metal Batteries

Aqueous zinc–metal batteries (AZMBs) face challenges involving dendrite growth, corrosion, and side reactions on the Zn anode side, stemming from unstable Zn 2+ solvation and interfacial instability. Here, d -(+)-galactose (GAL), a bioderived monosaccharide with a unique hydroxyl configuration and oxygen-rich framework, is introduced as a sustainable electrolyte additive. GAL coordinates with zinc ions to partially replace H 2 O in the primary solvation sheath, reorganizing the hydrogen-bonding network to enhance Zn 2+ transport, facilitate desolvation, and suppress dendrites. In parallel, GAL exhibits zincophilicity and selectively adsorbs onto Zn surfaces, replacing water molecules and triggering the in situ construction of a robust hybrid SEI, which protects against corrosion and directs uniform Zn deposition. Accordingly, Zn//Zn cells cycle stably for 3500 h; Cu//Zn cells achieve 99.8% Coulombic efficiency over 700 cycles, and MnO 2 //Zn full cells retain 84% capacity after 300 cycles. This work proposes a sustainable strategy employing bioderived monosaccharides to stabilize Zn anodes and advance high-performance AZMBs.