Fig. 4: Electrochemical characterization and image-based simulation of the two different zinc metal electrodes.

a Discharge curves of NP Zn and Zn powder at 5 mA/cm2. At the increments of 5% and 2% for the NP Zn and the Zn powder anodes (shown as solid circles), EIS was recorded and shown in b and c in the form of Nyquist plots respectively. Image-based simulations of NP Zn with d 0 erosion and e 40% erosion, and Zn powder with f 0 erosion and g 40% erosion. The green and red areas in d, e and f, g respectively are of high local current when a voltage difference is applied to the top and bottom of the images, whereas the blue and orange areas are of no local current. The current pathways are highlighted in black.