Advanced Ah-level zinc metal batteries

Abstract

Aqueous zinc metal batteries (ZMBs) are emerging as promising candidates for large-scale energy storage due to their cost-effectiveness, intrinsic safety, and abundant resources. However, translating ZMBs from laboratory-scale prototypes to ampere-hour (Ah)-level practical systems remains challenging, limited by issues such as Zn dendrite growth, cathode dissolution, and the lack of scalable fabrication methods for high-mass-loading electrodes with efficient ion/electron transport. This review systematically outlines recent strategies to overcome these barriers by addressing materials, manufacturing, and cell configuration. From the material perspective, bulk and surface modifications of the Zn anode and cathode can improve electrochemical stability and capacity retention through crystal structure tuning and interface stabilization. In electrode fabrication, dry processing and hierarchical structuring have emerged as key methods to support high mass loadings while maintaining effective electron/ion transport. Further at the device level, innovations in cell configuration, like lamination, winding techniques etc., enable better structural integrity and electrochemical performance tailored to aqueous systems. By integrating material innovation, scalable processing, and optimized cell architecture, these developments chart a path toward practical Ah-level ZMBs. This review highlights a comprehensive framework to bridge the lab-to-market gap, guiding future efforts to realize safe, low-cost, and sustainable energy storage at scale.