Recent Advances in Amorphous Electrode Materials for Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have gained increasing attention as next-generation energy storage systems owing to their intrinsic safety, environmental benignity, and low cost. Nevertheless, zinc dendrite growth and surface corrosion at the anode, together with sluggish ion transport and structural degradation at the cathode, hinder practical deployment. Crystalline materials have been extensively employed as anode coatings to suppress dendrite formation or as cathode materials to achieve high capacity, yet their inherent rigidity often causes cracking and delamination under interfacial stress, while narrow diffusion channels constrain Zn 2+ transport. In contrast, amorphous materials, characterized by short-range order and mechanical flexibility, provide isotropic ion pathways that enable uniform Zn 2+ flux and inhibit dendrite nucleation. Their compliant bonding networks accommodate volume variation and promote stable interphase formation. Despite their promise, a comprehensive assessment of amorphous materials for AZIBs remains lacking. This review summarizes recent progress and emerging opportunities in amorphous design strategies for AZIBs.