Synergistic Considerations of Deposition-Stripping Mechanisms for Designing Highly Reversible Zinc Metal Anodes

The complex deposition-stripping behavior of zinc anodes is often accompanied by dendrite growth, hydrogen evolution, and corrosion, which severely compromise aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) reversibility and cycling stability. Although considerable efforts have focused on regulating zinc deposition, the stripping process remains relatively underexplored. In fact, stripping not only governs interfacial evolution and active material utilization but also influences subsequent deposition behavior, indicating that deposition and stripping are intrinsically coupled processes. From the perspective of deposition-stripping coevolution, this review systematically discusses the mechanisms of Zn^{2 +} migration, desolvation, nucleation, growth, and dissolution, and highlights the effects of electrochemical kinetics, crystallographic orientation, surface morphology, microstructural defects, and interfacial chemistry on zinc deposition-stripping behavior. Recent strategies for regulating zinc anodes are further summarized, with emphasis on their roles in ion transport, interfacial reactions, and crystal growth. Finally, future perspectives are proposed regarding the limited understanding of stripping dynamics, interfacial instability under high depth-of-discharge conditions, the unresolved roles of crystallographic texture and defects, and the challenge of achieving synergistic regulation of deposition and stripping. This review aims to establish a theoretical framework for zinc deposition-stripping regulation and provide guidance for the development of highly reversible zinc anodes and practical AZIBs.