Engineering Reversible Zn Anode through Current Collector Design: Progress and Prospect

Aqueous Zn-ion batteries (AZIBs) have stimulated increasing research attention for next-generation energy storage systems owing to their high safety and cost-effectiveness. However, one main hurdle impeding their development lies in the inferior reversibility of Zn anode, wherein the suppression of severe dendrite growth and side reactions is highly requested. To this end, current collector engineering has emerged as a promising strategy, whilst comprehensive design criteria is lacking and development navigation is unclear. In this topical review, key roles of current collectors in stabilizing Zn anodes are classified from the perspective of electrodeposition and interfacial chemistry. Burgeoning solutions and significant advances are summarized based on different material substrates, accompanied by exhaustive analysis and evaluation on the reversibility of the Zn anode. Finally, future research layouts are outlooked, aiming to advance Zn anode research and construct pragmatic AZIBs.