Novel Multifunctional Janus‐Type Membrane on Al Anode for Corrosion Protection

Novel multifunctional Janus‐type membrane with both hydrophobic and anticorrosion abilities is constructed on the surface of aluminum (Al), using MoS2 as a hydrophobic layer and ZnO as a corrosion‐resistant layer. Al anode coated with the Janus‐type membrane is used as an example to study the specific property of the as‐prepared Janus‐type membrane. In the Al–air battery, the self‐corrosion of the Al anode is well inhibited since the Janus‐type membrane can block the invasion of excess hydroxide ions and water molecules simultaneously. The results show that the inhibition efficiency of the Janus‐type membrane is as high as 79.2%. Furthermore, the electrochemical measurements demonstrate that the discharge specific capacity of the Al–air battery with the Janus‐type membrane can reach up to 2095 mAh g−1, approximately two times as much as that of traditional batteries. The integrated strategy of combining hydrophobic and anticorrosion membrane is a novel method for corrosion protection of metal electrode. This Janus‐type membrane holds a great potential toward corrosion inhibition for the other metal in alkaline environment as well. Novel multifunctional Janus‐type membrane with both hydrophobic and anticorrosion abilities is constructed on the surface of aluminum. The Janus‐type membrane can block the invasion of the hydroxide ions and water at the same time. Applying it to Al–air battery can effectively inhibit the hydrogen evolution reaction and increase the specific capacity of the battery.