Achieving better aqueous rechargeable zinc ion batteries with heterostructure electrodes

Aqueous rechargeable zinc ion batteries (ARZIBs) have received unprecedented attention owing to the low cost and high-safety merits. However, their further development and application are hindered by the issues of electrodes such as cathode dissolution, zinc anode dendrite, passivation, as well as sluggish reaction kinetics. Designing heterostructure electrodes is a powerful method to improve the electrochemical performance of electrodes by grafting the advantages of functional materials onto the active materials. In this review, various modified heterostructure electrodes with optimized electrochemical performance and wider applications are introduced. Moreover, the synergistic effect between active materials and functional materials are also in-depth analyzed. The specific modification methods are divided into interphase modification (electrode-electrolyte interphase and electrode-current collector interphase) and structure optimization. Finally, the conclusion and future perspective on the optimization mechanism of functional materials, and the cost issue of practical heterostructure electrodes in ARZIBs are also proposed. It is expected that this review can promote the further development of ARZIBs towards practical utility.