Engineering zinc anodes through advanced manufacturing strategies for next-generation zinc–air batteries

Rechargeable zinc–air batteries (ZABs) are promising next-generation energy storage systems due to their high energy density, intrinsic safety, and low cost. Nevertheless, commercial deployment of Zn anodes is hampered by persistent challenges like dendrite formation, deformation, passivation, corrosion, and the hydrogen evolution reaction. This review systematically highlights the critical relationship between anode morphology and electrochemical performance and discusses recent advances in advanced manufacturing strategies for Zn anodes. Additive manufacturing approaches, such as 3D printing, enable the fabrication of porous and tunable Zn electrodes with enhanced surface area and uniform ion flux distribution. Furthermore, advanced materials processing techniques like alloying, coatings, and interface engineering have significantly improved corrosion resistance, Zn utilization, and dendrite suppression. MXene-based interfacial layers, polymer coatings, and artificial SEI construction, also demonstrate effective stabilization of Zn anode. Furthermore, laser processing and chemical etching methods have introduced scalable pathways to engineer micro/nano-structured Zn surfaces with exceptional electrochemical performance. • Zn anode failures include dendrites, passivation, corrosion, and HER. • 3D printing enables porous Zn anodes with tunable morphology and ion flux. • Alloying, coatings, and MXene/polymer SEIs improve Zn stability and reversibility. • Laser/etching create scalable micro/nano Zn surfaces with high performance.