Ultra-highly stable zinc metal anode via 3D-printed g-C3N4 modulating interface for long life energy storage systems

•3D-printed g-C3N4 interphase realizes dendrite-free growth and anticorrosion.•The DFT proves lower energy barrier to further induces uniform of Zn distribution.•The simulation suggests that g-C3N4 can effectively facilitate electric distribution.•The Zn/C3N4//AC supercapacitor and Zn/C3N4//MnO2 battery show excellent stability. Further commercial deployment of Zn anode has been severely restricted by the notorious tip-induced dendrite growth. The solutions establishing effective zincophile interphase have been proposed to conquer this difficulty. Yet, how to effectively construct zinc deposition interphase is challenging. Herein, we construct a zincophile interphase based on 3D-printed g-C3N4 modulating interface to concurrently achieve homogeneous zinc nucleation and a dendrite-free growth. The Zn/C3N4 anode affords lower the energy barrier and more homogeneously charge distribution to facilitate highly reversible Zn plating/stripping. The symmetric Zn/C3N4 cell presents appreciably low voltage hysteresis and superior cycling stability compared to the bare Zn. Furthermore, the Zn/C3N4//AC supercapacitor and Zn/C3N4//MnO2 battery show long cycle stability. The novel strategy of 3D-printed modulating coatings is straightforward and scalable and provides the design concept to the realization of the long-life aqueous zinc metal batteries.