Dense silver-coated zinc anodes constructed through oxidative etching-driven interface activation

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries are increasingly recognised as promising systems for high-energy storage applications. Their practical deployment, however, is hindered by persistent challenges such as dendritic growth, interfacial degradation, and parasitic reactions that compromise the zinc anode’s stability and cycling performance. In this work, we introduce an in-situ generated silver nanolayer that directs zinc deposition and reinforces the electrode interface. Structural and electrochemical analyses reveal that the silver coating lowers the nucleation barrier for zinc while homogenising the local electric field, thereby suppressing side reactions and enabling compact, uniform, and well-controlled deposition. Complementary molecular dynamics simulations (COMSOL) further confirm the decisive role of the silver layer in mitigating dendrite formation and reducing interfacial corrosion. Benefiting from this stabilised interface, the Zn@Ag anode demonstrated a prolonged lifespan of 1760 h in symmetric cells at 1 mA cm−2/0.5 mAh cm−2, and in full-cell configuration retained 53.2% of its capacity after 2800 cycles. These findings highlight the critical importance of tailoring the electrode–electrolyte microenvironment and present a viable pathway towards durable aqueous zinc-metal anodes.