Zhicheng Zheng, Kaiqi Chen, Yukun Fang, Haoran Zhou, Pan Feng, Xinli Guo, Yanmei Zheng
Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are considered one of the most promising candidates for next-generation energy storage systems, owing to the high safety, low cost, high theoretical capacity (820 mAh g\(^{-1}\)), and environmental compatibility. However, the practical implementation of zinc metal anodes still faces challenges such as dendrite growth, hydrogen evolution reaction, and corrosion, which significantly restrict the cycling life and practical usability. To address these issues, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with tunable pore structures and ultrahigh specific surface areas have been widely employed for protecting zinc anodes. Therefore, this review systematically summarizes the innovative applications of MOFs in interfacial protection of anodes, three-dimensional host structures, and functional separator design, starting from the fundamental principles and existing problems of AZIBs. Moreover, this review identifies the key issues and challenges in current research and proposes future research directions, aiming to provide new strategic insights into zinc anode protection and promote the high-value application of MOFs materials in the field of energy storage.