Rechargeable aqueous zinc–metal batteries (AZBs) are a promising complimentary technology to the existing lithium-ion batteries and the re-emerging lithium–metal batteries to satisfy the increasing demands on energy storage. Despite considerable progress achieved in the past years, the fundamental understanding of the solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation and how its composition influences the SEI properties are limited. This review highlights the functionalities of anion-tuned SEI on the reversibility of zinc–metal anode, with a specific emphasis on new structural insights obtained through advanced characterizations and computational techniques. Recent efforts in terms of key variables that govern the interfacial behaviors to improve the long-term stability of zinc anode, i.e., Coulombic efficiency, plating morphology, dendrite formation, and side-reactions, are comprehensively reviewed. Lastly, the remaining challenges and future perspectives are presented, providing insights into the rational design of practical high-performance AZBs.
