Separator Engineering for Stable Zinc Anodes in Aqueous Zinc‐Ion Batteries

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) have garnered extensive attention due to their advantages of high energy density, low cost, and high safety. However, the practical applications of ZIBs face several crucial challenges, including the uncontrolled growth of zinc dendrites, the parasitic hydrogen evolution reaction, and anode corrosion. These detrimental effects compromise the electrochemical performance of ZIBs, leading to low Coulombic efficiency, short cycle life, and even short-circuit failure. Separator engineering is one of the key approaches to addressing these issues. In this review, we systematically discuss the regulation of zinc anodes through separator engineering. Firstly, we introduce the composition and basic principles of ZIBs. Secondly, effective strategies for regulating zinc anodes through separator engineering are discussed in terms of the modification of commonly used glass fiber (GF) separators and the development of novel separators. Finally, conclusions and an outlook are provided, offering valuable guidance for developing high-performance separator materials of ZIBs. Overall, this review summarizes the current development status of separators, offers perspectives on future development directions, and provides guidance for the advancement of ZIBs.