Electrolyte Strategies Facilitating Anion‐Derived Solid‐Electrolyte Interphases for Aqueous Zinc–Metal Batteries

Abstract Rechargeable aqueous zinc–metal batteries (AZBs) are a promising complimentary technology to the existing lithium‐ion batteries and the re‐emerging lithium–metal batteries to satisfy the increasing demands on energy storage. Despite considerable progress achieved in the past years, the fundamental understanding of the solid‐electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation and how its composition influences the SEI properties are limited. This review highlights the functionalities of anion‐tuned SEI on the reversibility of zinc–metal anode, with a specific emphasis on new structural insights obtained through advanced characterizations and computational techniques. Recent efforts in terms of key variables that govern the interfacial behaviors to improve the long‐term stability of zinc anode, i.e., Coulombic efficiency, plating morphology, dendrite formation, and side‐reactions, are comprehensively reviewed. Lastly, the remaining challenges and future perspectives are presented, providing insights into the rational design of practical high‐performance AZBs.