Electrochemically grown zinc oxide layer on current collectors for mitigating growth of lithium dendrites

A method for manufacturing a battery cell, comprising:

• connecting a current collector to a working electrode;
• connecting a zinc metal portion to a counter electrode;
• immersing the current collector and a portion of the working electrode in a liquid;
• immersing the zinc metal portion and a portion of the counter electrode in the liquid;
• supplying molecular oxygen into the liquid;
• applying a voltage across the working electrode and the counter electrode;
• immersing a portion of a reference electrode in the liquid;
• one of supplying current to the reference electrode and supplying a negative voltage to the reference electrode;
• and
• electrochemically coating the current collector with a zinc oxide layer.

A method for manufacturing a battery cell, comprising:

• electrodepositing a zinc oxide layer on a plurality of current collectors;
• creating a plurality of anode electrodes by adding a plurality of lithium layers on the zinc oxide layer of the plurality of current collectors;
• providing a plurality of cathode electrodes;
• providing a plurality of separators;
• and
• arranging the plurality of cathode electrodes, the plurality of anode electrodes, and the plurality of separators in a predetermined order in an enclosure to form the battery cell,
• wherein electrodepositing the zinc oxide layer on the plurality of current collectors includes:
• connecting the plurality of current collectors to a working electrode;
• connecting a zinc metal portion to a counter electrode;
• immersing the plurality of current collectors and a portion of the working electrode in a liquid;
• immersing the zinc metal portion and a portion of the counter electrode in the liquid;
• supplying molecular oxygen into the liquid;
• and
• electrochemically coating the plurality of current collectors with the zinc oxide layer.