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The 3D structured Zn anode which is grown on the surface of carbon cloth/carbon nanofiber framework (CC-CNF) can reduce the nucleation overpotential of the electrode and suppress dendrites owing to the high conductivity and abundant nucleation sites of the 3D skeleton. [Display omitted] Zn-ion battery (ZIB) is a promising electrochemical energy storage device because of the high performance, safety, and economic benefits, etc. However, the formation of Zn dendrites at anodes is seriously depressed their cycling life, Coulombic efficiency, safety, and capacity. Inhibition of Zn dendrites is considered as an efficient solution to improving the performance of ZIB. Herein, we demonstrate a 3D structured Zn anode coated in carbon nanofiber framework with carbon cloth as substrate (Zn@CC-CNF), which has the abundant Zn nucleation sites and homogeneous electrical field distribution for uniform Zn deposition, low nucleation/deposition energy barrier, and the capacity of alleviating side reactions. Thus, the Zn@CC-CNF based symmetric cells is stability operated over 400 h, which is over 400% longer than that of bare Zn coated on carbon cloth (Zn@CC). The impressive performance of the Zn@CC-CNF anode also endows the assembled Zn-MnO 2 full cell with long-term cycling stability. Better yet, the intrinsic flexibility of the carbon substrate enables the fabrication of flexible Zn-MnO 2 cell with gratifying mechanical deformation tolerance, illustrating their great application potential in flexible energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ever-increasing demand for powering wearable electronics, energy concern, and climate crisis, arouse attention for developing energy storage systems with high energy and power density, long cycling life, and excellent mechanical flexibility. Herein, we demonstrate a hierarchical 3D electrode for high-performance flexible supercapacitors, in which metallic molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2) nanosheets are uniformly deposited on the surface of carbon nanocones (CNC) grown on carbon cloths (CC), yielding CC-CNC@MoS 2. The 3D CC-CNC substrate provides a large surface for high mass loading of MoS 2 , a high pathway for fast electron transfers as well as the porous structure for efficient electrolyte ion diffusion to access active materials. Also, the layered structure of metallic MoS 2 nanosheets enables large amounts of active sites and facilitates ion transport as well. Benefitting from the rational nanostructure design, the assembled quasi-solid-state supercapacitor yielded a maximum energy density of 0.016 mWh cm−2 and a peak power density of 8.3 mW cm−2, and ultra-high cycling stability over 10,000 cycles, outperforming many recently reported flexible supercapacitors. Furthermore, the excellent mechanical properties of both CC-CNC substrates and MoS 2 nanosheets endow the resulting quasi-solid-state supercapacitors with compelling flexibility for wearable electronics. Finally, an energy storage unit fabricated from the supercapacitors could light an LED, demonstrating its great application potential in wearable electronics. Facile synthesis of hierarchical 3D carbon nanocones/metallic MoS 2 electrodes for high-performance flexible supercapacitors. [Display omitted] • 3D carbon nanocones/M − MoS 2 enables fast electron transfer, efficient ion diffusion. • Metallic 1T MoS 2 has good electrical conductivity & hydrophilicity. • Metallic 1T MoS 2 provides abundant active sites for large charge storage. • Quasi-solid-state supercapacitors delivered excellent performance & flexibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the growing global freshwater crisis, seawater desalination has become an essential way to obtain freshwater resources. The flow-electrode-based electrochemical desalination is a promising desalination technology, which possesses the continuous desalting process and an unlimited desalination capacity in theory. Recently the redox couples are emerging as an additive to enhance the salt removal rate and lower the energy consumption. In this review, the flow-electrode based desalination technology is introduced based on carbon flow material and redox couples. The desalting mechanisms, configurations and performance indicators are analyzed and discussed. The impact factors of desalination performance such as the type and dosage of active materials, conductive additives, pretreatment processes, flow-electrode regeneration and operation conditions are further investigated. In the last section, the challenges and prospects are predicted for the future development of flow-electrode desalination system. The review and prospect will stimulate further research progress for the practical application of flow-electrode electrochemical desalination technology. • Flow-electrode electrochemical desalination technologies were summarized. • Desalting mechanisms, configurations & impact factors etc. were analyzed & discussed. • The other applications of device were explored except for desalination. • The challenges and prospects are predicted for the future development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Typical desalination techniques, such as reverse osmosis, distillation, capacitive deionization, and battery desalination, require lots of electrical or thermal energy consumption. As a new emerging desalination technique, the solar-driven photoelectrochemical desalination (SD-PED) technology by using sustainable solar energy to remove salt ions without any external bias has been developed and caused much attention. The SD-PED technique with dual functions of desalination and photoelectric conversion driven by sunlight has demonstrated that a high initial photocurrent up to 9.5 mA can be obtained in the existing work with 99.95% salt removal rate. However, some limitations are remained such as the fast decline of photocurrent, difficulty in the seawater desalination, the long-term stability of system etc. To better understand this new desalination technique, herein, we comprehensively review and discuss the status of SD-PED system for the first time, including the device configuration, influencing factors and the active involved materials of solar absorbers and redox electrolyte species. Further, the strategies to improve the performance of long-term stability desalination are summarized, such as the configuration connection in series or parallel, the combination of photoanode and photocathode, the photosensitive material with wide solar absorption. At last, the challenge and prospect are further guided for the future development of SD-PED technology, which are expected to realize the commercialization. A new type of electricity-free solar-driven electrochemical desalination technique was proposed very recently which could achieve continuous desalination by circulating the redox flow electrolyte. This review comprehensively describes the recent development of SD-PED technique to determine its advantages and disadvantages with guiding further technology development. Followed by discussion the mechanism, device configuration, solar absorber materials, redox electrolyte species and influencing factors of SD-PED system. Finally, state the challenges, discussions for future work, conclusions and perspectives in the last section. The SD-PED technique is a promising solution to the worldwide energy and water shortage crisis. [Display omitted] • The SD-PED technology was reviewed for the first time. • Development and desalting mechanisms of SD-PED technology was summarized. • The configurations, materials and performance influence factors were analyzed. • The challenges & perspectives are guided for the future development of SD-PED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]