Zinc Metal-Free Anode Materials for High-Performance Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries: Recent Advances, Mechanisms, Challenges and Perspectives

Conventional aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) face significant challenges due to the Zn metal anode such as dendrite formation, hydrogen evolution, corrosion, passivation, and low utilization of Zn metal. Zn metal-free ZIBs (ZF-ZIBs) present a promising alternative, garnering increasing research attention to address these fundamental issues. However, reviews on this emerging field remain scarce, resulting in a limited understanding of ZF-ZIBs and a lack of robust methods for developing high-performance anode materials. This Perspective provides a comprehensive introduction to the fundamental principles and requirements of ZF-ZIBs. It summarizes recent advancements in Zn metal-free anode materials based on various Zn2+ storage mechanisms, including intercalation, conversion, and coordination. Finally, it offers personal perspectives for the further development of high-performance Zn metal-free anode materials.