Zincophilic Cu/flexible polymer heterogeneous interfaces ensuring the stability of zinc metal anodes

• A bilayer of zincophilic Cu and flexible polymer on Zn anode enables uniform Zn deposition and suppresses dendrites. • The Cu layer provides nucleation sites, while the polymer layer prevents side reactions, enhancing cycle stability. • Symmetric cells achieve over 2900 h cycling at 1 mA cm−2, and full cells retain 72% capacity after 500 cycles. • This strategy offers a simple, effective approach to improve aqueous zinc-ion battery performance for practical applications.