From Material to System: A Review of Self‐Charging Aqueous Zinc‐Ion Batteries

ABSTRACT Self‐charging aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (SC‐AZIBs) represent a cutting‐edge technology that integrates energy harvesting and storage, enabling autonomous operation by utilizing ambient energy sources such as light and mechanical vibration. This review provides a systematic analysis of various self‐charging mechanisms (e.g., air, photo, thermal and mechanical self‐charging) and their advantages in specific scenarios. Through representative examples, this article delves into the design strategies for SC‐AZIB cathode materials and integrated devices, evaluating how these approaches address core scientific challenges. The key obstacles facing SC‐AZIBs are then systematically summarized, including intrinsic material limitations, system coupling efficiency, extreme environment adaptability, energy supply‐demand matching, and standardization. Finally, from a holistic innovation perspective spanning fundamental materials to system design, forward‐looking prospects are proposed to provide a theoretical foundation and viable technical pathways for the development of high‐performance SC‐AZIBs.