• A zincophilic carbon (ZC) layer is deposited on Zn foil at 450 °C via upstream pyrolysis of a hydrogen-bonded supramolecular framework, providing a low-temperature method for anode protection.
• The ZC layer with C=O and C=N groups enables uniform Zn plating/stripping, effectively suppressing dendrite growth and side reactions.
• Symmetrical cells with ZC@Zn electrodes achieve an ultra-long cycling life of 2500 h at 1 mA cm−2 and 1 mAh cm−2, far exceeding bare Zn (180 h).
• Full batteries with ZC@Zn anode and V2O5 cathode deliver a high capacity of 174 mAh g−1 after 1200 cycles at 2 A g−1, outperforming bare Zn counterparts.