Advanced electrolyte strategies for dendrite-free aqueous Zn–metal batteries†

Aqueous Zn–metal batteries have attracted wide attention due to the abundant Zn reserves and the safety and non-toxicity of aqueous electrolytes, and have become a research hotspot in the field of electrochemical energy. However, the dendrite defects of metal Zn anodes and the resulting interfacial instability limit the large-scale development. Despite comprehensive studies and in-depth understanding, this issue still affects the electrochemical performance of Zn–metal batteries dramatically. In light of the great progress and recent focus, this review analyzes the origin of critical Zn dendrite related problems, and recapitulates the development of electrolyte strategies. In the end, various outlooks are summarized from different angles to improve the performance of Zn metal anodes. This study is expected to provide new inspiration for innovation in aqueous Zn battery electrolytes in the future.