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The electrical conductivity of Na2O substituted zinc borate glasses has been studied in the frequency range of 10 mHz to 1 MHz and in the temperature range from 313 to 573 K. The conduction mechanism has been ascertained using the values of the frequency exponent (s) extracted from the fitting of experimental data of the real part of electric conductivity in light of the Almond–West equation. Depending on the glass composition, the ac conduction in the glasses happened via correlated barrier hopping and non-overlapping small polaron tunneling conduction models. The electric modulus studies support the assertion of composition dependent conduction mechanisms. Furthermore, electronic conduction and ionic conduction have been studied from impedance investigations. Equivalent circuit models were used to fit the Nyquist and Bode plots of each sample at the temperatures under consideration. It has been found that the activation energy values calculated from conductivity, electric modulus, and impedance measurements are more or less the same. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to address the diverse energy storage requirements, there is an urgent need to fabricate supercapacitors with high specific capacitance, long cycle life, high power density and high energy density. Among various transition metal oxide materials, vanadium pentoxide emerges as a promising candidate for cathode materials in supercapacitors. Herein, we report an ion intercalation strategy to synthesize Mn-doped V 2 O 5 (MnVO) and recombine it with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) to form Mn-doped V 2 O 5 @rGO (MnVO@rGO) hybrids with special hierarchical structure. During the hydrothermal process, Mn2+ gradually inserts into the layer spacing of V 2 O 5 to form nanobelts, which could be cross-linked with graphene nanosheets to form MnVO@rGO 3D skeleton network. This unique structure enables the MnVO@rGO electrode to exhibit excellent specific capacitance of 1120 F g−1 at 0.2 A g−1. Outstanding cycling performance is demonstrated by achieving a capacity retention rate of 91.5 % after 2000 cycle. The symmetrical supercapacitor device assembled with MnVO@rGO as both positive and negative electrodes exhibits an energy density of 150.75 and 77.5 W h Kg−1 at power density of 450 and 9000 W kg−1, respectively. Moreover, DFT calculations also have been employed to account for the improved electrochemical performances of MnVO@rGO. Besides, the excellent electrochemical performances of MnVO@rGO indicate that it has broad application prospects in future energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novel rare earth (Lu) doped zinc ferrite nanoparticles, synthesized via a solution combustion approach, exhibit exceptional sensitivity to carbon monoxide (C.O.), a capability studied for the first time. The successful detection of C.O. by these nanoparticles underscores their potential as efficient gas sensors. Structural and morphological characterization confirmed the creation of single-phase zinc ferrite nanoparticles, utilizing various standard and advanced modern probes. To assess the gas sensing capabilities, the nanoparticles were exposed to carbon monoxide gas, revealing an outstanding gas response of 80 % at 300 °C, with a response against 20,000 parts per million by volume (PPMv) of carbon monoxide. These results indicate the promising applicability of Lu-doped zinc ferrite nanoparticles in C.O. gas sensing applications. Furthermore, the supercapacitance performance of the synthesized nanoparticles was investigated. Electrodes fabricated from Lu-doped zinc ferrite nanoparticles (Lu 0, 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7) were examined in a 3 M K.O.H. electrolyte using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (E.I.S.). The electrochemical properties of all nanoparticles exhibited good Faradaic behaviour, with the Lu 0.7 electrode achieving a high specific capacitance of 280 F/g at a current density of 0.25 A/g. This highlights the prominent electrochemical stability and potential applications of Lu-doped zinc ferrite nanoparticles in energy storage devices. Overall, the comprehensive investigation of the gas sensing and super capacitance performance of Lu-doped zinc ferrite nanoparticles demonstrates their versatility and potential for various technological applications, including gas sensing and energy storage. These findings pave the way for further research and development in utilizing rare earth-doped ferrite nanoparticles for advanced functional materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc‐based energy storage devices have competitive advantages such as high power density, good safety, and wide source. However, because of the direct touch among zinc anode and aqueous electrolyte, dendrite growth and electrode side reactions are easy to occur in the plating and striping process, which seriously hinders the further development of aqueous zinc‐based energy storage devices. Therefore, it is urgent to solve the above problems to expand the existing energy storage devices. In this work, by adding an imidazo[1,2‐b]pyridazine (IP) electrolyte additive, the dendrites' growth and corrosion on the zinc anode surface could be effectively inhibited by the shielding‐anchoring double effects, which are verified by the comprehensive in situ and ex situ characterization techniques as well as the theoretical calculation support. Accordingly, the IP‐based electrolyte encourages extremely high stable zinc anode (cycling 2200 h at 1 mA cm−2) with high average Coulombic efficiency (98.72%). Moreover, the IP‐based Zn‐V2O5 full battery also exhibits excellent reversible capacity, reaching 160.8 mAh g−1 after 400 cycles at 2 A g−1. Through a straightforward alteration to the Zn anode surface, this study considerably enhances the use of highly stable and secure aqueous zinc‐ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, trimercapto‐S‐triazine trisodium salt (TMT) with threefold rotational symmetry as a corrosion inhibitor was introduced into 2 mol ⋅ L−1 ZnSO4 medium. By electrochemical measurements, the corrosion inhibition efficiency of the zinc electrodes was 92.52 % when the concentration of TMT corrosion inhibitor was 2 mmol ⋅ L−1. Based on the microstructural characterization and theoretical analysis of Zn electrodes, it was confirmed that S and N atoms of TMT corrosion inhibitor serve as alternately zinc‐philic adsorption sites with sixfold rotational symmetry for the formation of intermolecular complexes. Adsorption energies of TMT on Zn surfaces were calculated and indicated that the bonds of Zn−N and Zn−S promoted anchoring adsorption on sixfold symmetric (002) plane of zinc. Meanwhile, TMT corrosion inhibitor can adsorb Zn2+ from the electrolyte and directionally deposit them on the surface of Zn (002), effectively avoiding the occurrence of dendrites. This study changes the common knowledge that organic corrosion inhibitors must form hydrophobic films to have corrosion inhibition performance, and provides a new approach for using small organic molecules with anchoring adsorption as metal corrosion inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc‐ion batteries have been regarded as safe and cheap energy storage devices. However, severe zinc dendrite growth and water decomposition limit the sustainability of aqueous zinc‐ion batteries. Herein, sodium‐difluoro(oxalato)borate (NaDFOB) is introduced into ZnSO4 electrolyte to modify the electric double layer (EDL) and the nucleation mechanism. Electrochemical tests and density functional theory calculations reveal that DFOB− adsorbs on the zinc electrode to form a water‐poor EDL, effectively suppressing side reactions. Notably, a detailed investigation of zinc deposition demonstrates that the adsorbed DFOB− ions induce progressive nucleation, resulting in nanoscale zinc nuclei and uniform zinc growth. Additionally, the adsorbed DFOB− ions decompose into a solid electrolyte interphase, further protecting the zinc electrode. Consequently, the Zn/Zn symmetric cell using ZnSO4/NaDFOB electrolyte can cycle for over 500 h at 5 mA cm−2 to reach a capacity of 10 mAh cm−2, while a Zn/Cu half cell maintains an average Coulombic efficiency of 99.3% over 400 cycles. A high capacity retention of 93.0% with a capacity of 250 mAh g−1 at 0.2 A g−1 is achieved in the ZnSO4/NaDFOB electrolyte in full cell cycling. These findings highlight the impact of anion‐modified EDL and progressive nucleation on achieving highly uniform zinc deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) show a great potential for next‐generation energy storage due to their high safety and high energy density. However, the severe side reactions of zinc negative electrode largely hinder the further application of AZIBs. Herein, trace tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris) additive with rich lone‐pair‐electrons and zincophilic sites is firstly introduced to achieve long‐term and highly reversible Zn plating/stripping. Specifically, Tris not only regulates the solvation structure of Zn2+, but is also adsorbed vertically on the Zn anode surface with a changed coordination intensity during the plating/stripping process of Zn to generate an in situ dynamic adsorption layer for the first time. The dynamic adsorption layer could successively attract the solvated Zn2+ and then promote the de‐solvation of the solvated Zn2+ owing to the orientation polarization with regularly‐changed applied electric field, the volume rejection effect, and strong intermolecular force towards H2O of the vertically‐adsorbed Tris. Therefore, an improved Zn2+‐transport kinetics as well as the inhibition of side reactions of Zn anode are successfully realized. Accordingly, the Zn||Zn symmetric cell provides an ultra‐long cycle life of 2600 h. Furthermore, the Zn||MnO2 full cell with Tris could demonstrate a high capacity and structural stability for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) show a great potential for next‐generation energy storage due to their high safety and high energy density. However, the severe side reactions of zinc negative electrode largely hinder the further application of AZIBs. Herein, trace tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris) additive with rich lone‐pair‐electrons and zincophilic sites is firstly introduced to achieve long‐term and highly reversible Zn plating/stripping. Specifically, Tris not only regulates the solvation structure of Zn2+, but is also adsorbed vertically on the Zn anode surface with a changed coordination intensity during the plating/stripping process of Zn to generate an in situ dynamic adsorption layer for the first time. The dynamic adsorption layer could successively attract the solvated Zn2+ and then promote the de‐solvation of the solvated Zn2+ owing to the orientation polarization with regularly‐changed applied electric field, the volume rejection effect, and strong intermolecular force towards H2O of the vertically‐adsorbed Tris. Therefore, an improved Zn2+‐transport kinetics as well as the inhibition of side reactions of Zn anode are successfully realized. Accordingly, the Zn||Zn symmetric cell provides an ultra‐long cycle life of 2600 h. Furthermore, the Zn||MnO2 full cell with Tris could demonstrate a high capacity and structural stability for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical properties of zinc anodes in rechargeable zinc‐based batteries are neglected. Indeed, electrode stress in zinc crystallization (ESZC) contributes to excess chemical potential under enormous deposition stress, severely impacting zinc crystal patterns and reaction kinetics. Herein, a stress prerelease mechanism to minimize ESZC and drive dendrite‐free zinc anode growth is proposed. The internal stress of the freestanding electrode is prereleased by full‐contact soft‐substrate constraints during fabrication. Under the compression of crystallization stress, the freestanding electrode rapidly deforms and self‐releases into microstrains to reduce ESZC. Furthermore, the weakening of ESZC under the stress‐prerelease mechanism is modified to the actual reaction kinetics, which establishes a direct link between electrode stress and zinc deposition pattern. The processes of crystalline stress transfer and self‐release under the stress prerelease mechanism are revealed using in situ strain monitors. Stress‐prereleased freestanding electrodes drive uniform zinc nucleation and subsequent radial diffusion, guiding Zn epitaxial growth on the nanofibers surface. During repeated deposition/stripping, the stress prerelease mechanism steadily diminishes the possibility of dendrite growth and guarantees the stable operation of dendrite‐free zinc anodes. The stress prereleased freestanding electrodes induce symmetric and full cells to achieve stable and excellent performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vanadium nitride (VN) is a potential cathode material with high capacity and high energy density for aqueous zinc batteries (AZIBs). However, the slow kinetics resulting from the strong electrostatic interaction of the electrode materials with zinc ions is a major challenge for fast storage. Here, VN clusters with nitrogen‐vacancy embedded in carbon (C) (Nv‐VN/C‐SS‐2) are prepared for the first time to improve the slow reaction kinetics. The nitrogen vacancies can effectively accelerate the reaction kinetics, reduce the electrochemical polarization, and improve the performance. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations also prove that the rapid adsorption and desorption of zinc ions on Nv‐VN/C‐SS‐2 can release more electrons to the delocalized electron cloud of the material, thus adding more active sites. The Nv‐VN/C‐SS‐2 exhibits a specific capacity and outstanding cycle life. Meanwhile, the quasi‐solid‐state battery exhibits a high capacity of 186.5 mAh g−1, ultra‐high energy density of 278.9 Wh kg−1, and a high power density of 2375.1 W kg−1 at 2.5 A g−1, showing excellent electrochemical performance. This work provides a meaningful reference value for improving the comprehensive electrochemical performance of VN through interface engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential for scale‐up application has been acknowledged by researchers for rechargeable aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (ZIBs). Nonetheless, the progress of the development is significantly impeded due to the instability of the interface between the zinc anode and electrolyte. Herein, efficient and environmentally benign valine (Val) were introduced as aqueous electrolyte additive to stabilize the electrode/electrolyte interface (EEI) via functional groups in additive molecules, thus achieving reversible dendrite‐free zinc anode. The amino groups present in Val molecules have a strong ability to adsorb on the surface of zinc metal, enabling the construction of anchored molecular layer on the surface of zinc anodes. The strongly polar carboxyl groups in Val molecules can act as ion‐transport pumps to capture zinc ions in the electric double layer (EDL) through coordination chemistry. Therefore, this reconstructed EEI could modulate the zinc ion flux and simultaneously suppress side reactions and dendritic growth of Zn. Consequently, a long stable cycling up to 1400 h at a high current density of 20 mA cm−2 is achieved. Additionally, Zn//V2O5 full cell with Val additive exhibit enhanced cyclability, retaining 77 % capacity after 3000 cycles, displaying significant potential in promoting the commercialization of ZIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: A comprehensive introduction into organic cathode materials for aqueous zinc-ion batteries with specific focus on their structural–property relationship based on the variations in composition, geometry, and molecular size. For each representative organic cathode, the unique electrochemistry has been discussed to provide insight into the underlying working mechanism. Summarized pros and cons of different organic cathodes and outlined challenges plus future research directions. Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are one of the most compelling alternatives of lithium-ion batteries due to their inherent safety and economics viability. In response to the growing demand for green and sustainable energy storage solutions, organic electrodes with the scalability from inexpensive starting materials and potential for biodegradation after use have become a prominent choice for AZIBs. Despite gratifying progresses of organic molecules with electrochemical performance in AZIBs, the research is still in infancy and hampered by certain issues due to the underlying complex electrochemistry. Strategies for designing organic electrode materials for AZIBs with high specific capacity and long cycling life are discussed in detail in this review. Specifically, we put emphasis on the unique electrochemistry of different redox-active structures to provide in-depth understanding of their working mechanisms. In addition, we highlight the importance of molecular size/dimension regarding their profound impact on electrochemical performances. Finally, challenges and perspectives are discussed from the developing point of view for future AZIBs. We hope to provide a valuable evaluation on organic electrode materials for AZIBs in our context and give inspiration for the rational design of high-performance AZIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rechargeable aqueous Zn‐δ‐MnO2 batteries, featuring high safety, high theoretical capacity, and low cost, have emerged as promising candidates for grid‐scale energy storage systems. Nevertheless, the severe cathodic structural degradation greatly hinders its further commercial application. Herein, a facile coupling engineering strategy, employing the Ti3C2Tx MXene skeleton coupled with electrolyte additive K2SO4 to reinforce the structural stability of the δ‐MnO2 cathode is proposed. Notably, the designed K‐birnessite δ‐MnO2/Ti3C2Tx composite cathode (KMO/Ti3C2) coupled with K2SO4 electrolyte additive exhibits unique electrode/electrolyte synergistic effects on inhibiting the cathodic structural collapse and promoting the Mn2+ electrodeposition. Meanwhile, the plating/stripping reversibility of the Zn anode is considerably improved by manipulating the formation of zinc dendrites. Consequently, the Zn//KMO/Ti3C2 battery achieves the remarkable specific capacity of 502.2 mAh g−1 at 0.3 A g−1 and 371.1 mAh g−1 at 2.0 A g−1. Furthermore, after 9500 cycles at a high current density of 10 A g−1, the capacity retention reaches 93.3%. Besides, the dendrite‐free Zn anode delivers excellent cycling stability (over 4800 h at 0.2 mA cm−2) and high coulombic efficiency (99.9% after 2300 cycles). The synergistic effect of electrode/electrolyte provides distinctive insights into the structural stabilization of the manganese‐based cathode to improve the overall performance of batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing demand for agricultural products has increased exponentially, causing their waste to increase and become a problem for society. Searching for sustainable solutions for organic waste management is increasingly urgent. This research focuses on considering the waste of an Andean tuber, such as Olluco, as a fuel source for generating electricity and becoming a potential sustainable energy source for companies dedicated to this area. This research used Olluco waste as fuel in single-chamber microbial fuel cells using carbon and zinc electrodes. An electric current and electric potential of 6.4 ± 0.4 mA and 0.99 ± 0.09 V were generated, operating with an electrical conductivity of 142.3 ± 6.1 mS/cm and a pH of 7.1 ± 0.2. It was possible to obtain a 94% decrease in COD and an internal resistance of 24.9 ± 2.8 Ω. The power density found was 373.8 ± 28.8 mW/cm2 and the current density was 4.96 A/cm2. On day 14, the cells were connected in earnest, achieving a power of 2.92 V and generating enough current to light an LED light bulb, thus demonstrating the potential that Olluco waste has to be used as fuel in microbial fuel cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional energy resource, i.e. coal, is converted to value-added electrode materials in electrochemical energy conversion systems. [Display omitted] • Traditional coal energy resource is converted to value-added electrode material for electrochemical energy conversion system. • The intrinsic N- and S-heteroatoms in coal effectively enhance the ORR performance. • The electrode exhibited excellent performance in Zn-air batteries with both liquid and solid electrolytes. Coal-based oxygen electrocatalysts hold immense promise for cost-effective applications in rechargeable Zn-air batteries (ZABs) and the value-added, clean utilization of traditional coal resources. Herein, an electrospun membrane electrode comprising coal-derived carbon nanosheets and directly grown carbon nanotubes (CNS/CMF@CNT) was successfully synthesized. The hierarchical porous structure of the electrode, composed of multiple components, significantly facilitates mass and ion transportation, resulting in exceptional electrochemical performance. Employing Fe as the catalyst for CNT growth, the CNS/CMF@CNT electrode exhibits a remarkable onset potential of 0.96 V and a half-wave potential of 0.87 V in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). In-situ surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy reveals that hydroxyl radical desorption on the surface of CNS/CMF@CNT(Fe) is the rate-determining step of the ORR. Notably, the aqueous ZAB featuring the CNS/CMF@CNT(Fe) electrode achieved a peak power density of 216.0 mW cm−2 at a current density of 414 mA cm−2 and maintained a voltage efficiency of 65.1 % after 2000 charge/discharge cycles at 5 mA cm−2. Furthermore, the all-solid-state ZAB incorporating this electrode displayed an open-circuit voltage of 1.43 V, a peak power density of 70.1 mW cm−2 at a current density of 110 mA cm−2, and a voltage efficiency of 66.5 % after 150 charge/discharge cycles. The utilization of abundant coal as the raw material for electrode fabrication not only brings conceivable economic benefits in ZAB construction, but also commendably advances the effective application of traditional coal resources in a more sustainable manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A biomass-derived "zincophilic-hydrophobic" SEI layer is constructed on the Zn anode for dendrite-free, side reaction-free, and fast Zn electrodeposition. [Display omitted] Aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) face significant challenges stemming from Zn dendrite growth and water-contact attack, primarily due to the lack of a well-designed solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) to safeguard the Zn anode. Herein, we report a bio-mass derived polymer of chitin on Zn anode (Zn@chitin) as a novel and robust artificial SEI layer to boost the Zn anode rechargeability. The polymeric chitin SEI layer features both zincophilic and hydrophobic characteristics to target the suppressed dendritic Zn formation as well as the water-induced side reactions, thus harvesting a dendrite-free and corrosion-resistant Zn anode. More importantly, this polymeric interphase layer is strong and flexible accommodating the volume changes during repeated cycling. Based on these benefits, the Zn@chitin anode demonstrates prolonged cycling performance surpassing 1300 h under an ultra-large current density of 20 mA cm−2, and a long cycle life of 680 h with a record-high zinc utilization rate of 80 %. Besides, the assembled Zn@chitin/V 2 O 5 full batteries reveal excellent capacity retention and rate performance under practical conditions, proving the reliability of our proposed strategy for industrial AZIBs. Our research offers valuable insights for constructing high-performance AZIBs, and simultaneously realizes the high-efficient use of cheap biomass from a "waste-to-wealth" concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous Zn-metal batteries are considered promising candidates for next-generation energy storage. However, low zinc utilization rate (ZUR) and limited cycle life are still hinder its commercial application because of severe parasitic side effects. Herein, inspired by the wound healing process, an innovative electrode recovery technology is developed to improve the comprehensive ZUR and prolong the cycling life through repetitive rejuvenation of zinc anode by designing chitosan-based homologous gel/solid synergistic electrolyte. The designed synergistic electrolyte, consisting of protonated chitosan gel electrolyte and Zn-chitosan solid electrolyte, exhibits superior zinc ion diffusion capability and low free-water activity, leading to dendrite-free Zn deposition and HER inhibition. Moreover, through proton neutralization and zinc ion complexation, the formulated electrolyte can implement the rejuvenation of zinc anode by smoothing interfacial defects and eliminating parasitic byproducts. Consequently, the gel/solid synergistic electrolyte displays reversible Zn plating/stripping chemistry for 4000 cycles with high average Coulombic efficiency (99.8%) and realizes comprehensive ZUR of 97.4% through four iterations of electrode recover under extreme conditions (20 mA cm[sup -2], 31.5% Zn depth of discharge), noticeably higher than zinc electrode with no recover (11.8%). Furthermore, the superiority of customized synergistic electrolyte is further demonstrated by coupling with I[sub 2] cathode and achieving impressive 36 000 stable cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composite of zinc tungstate (ZnWO 4) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) demonstrated remarkable performance in supercapacitors and lithium-ion batteries. In this study, novel polymeric nanocomposites (PVP/CMC/MWCNTs/x wt.% ZnWO 4) were synthesized using solution casting and hydrothermal techniques. The resulting blends and filler ZnWO 4 were thoroughly characterized using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy techniques. Utilizing diffuse reflectance measurements, various optical parameters were analyzed. Upon the introduction of MWCNTs/ZnWO 4 into the PVP/CMC blend, its transmittance in the visible range experienced a reduction from ∼90 % to (15–30 %), while the reflectivity and absorptivity increased. The direct and indirect optical band gaps of PVP/CMC blend changed nonmonotonically upon loading with MWCNTs and ZnWO 4. The linear and nonlinear optical parameters were enhanced. Also, the fluorescence (FL) intensity exhibited a decline, and analysis of CIE chromaticity indicated that the blends are emitting blue light to different extents and the purity of the blend decreased from 71 % to 60 % when loaded with MWCNTs and 2.5 wt% ZnWO 4. From the dielectric measurements, the AC conductivity exhibited an increase, while the energy density experienced a reduction upon the incorporation of ZnWO 4. In general, the optical and dielectric characteristics of the current blends render them suitable for implementation in optoelectronic and energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When designing a molecular electronic device for a specific function, it is necessary to control whether the charge‐transport mechanism is phase‐coherent transmission or particle‐like hopping. Here we report a systematic study of charge transport through single zinc‐porphyrin molecules embedded in graphene nanogaps to form transistors, and show that the transport mechanism depends on the chemistry of the molecule–electrode interfaces. We show that van der Waals interactions between molecular anchoring groups and graphene yield transport characteristic of Coulomb blockade with incoherent sequential hopping, whereas covalent molecule–electrode amide bonds give intermediately or strongly coupled single‐molecule devices that display coherent transmission. These findings demonstrate the importance of interfacial engineering in molecular electronic circuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When designing a molecular electronic device for a specific function, it is necessary to control whether the charge‐transport mechanism is phase‐coherent transmission or particle‐like hopping. Here we report a systematic study of charge transport through single zinc‐porphyrin molecules embedded in graphene nanogaps to form transistors, and show that the transport mechanism depends on the chemistry of the molecule–electrode interfaces. We show that van der Waals interactions between molecular anchoring groups and graphene yield transport characteristic of Coulomb blockade with incoherent sequential hopping, whereas covalent molecule–electrode amide bonds give intermediately or strongly coupled single‐molecule devices that display coherent transmission. These findings demonstrate the importance of interfacial engineering in molecular electronic circuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low‐cost and high‐loading cathodes are crucial for practical application of zinc‐ion supercapacitors (ZICs) but achieving optimal performance in high‐loading electrodes faces challenges due to sluggish ion transport, increased resistance, and unstable structure. Guided by theoretical calculations, high‐loading carbon cathodes based on holey activated carbon sheets (HACS) are fabricated from a carefully chosen molecule. A simple pyrolysis‐leaching treatment transformed the molecule into HACS with large surface area, hierarchical porous structure, and electroactive oxygen/nitrogen dopants. When combined with an aqueous binder, the optimized HACS‐based high‐loading electrode (16.1 mg cm−2) exhibits high‐capacitance (454 F g−1) and fast‐rate (1 A g−1) characteristics under lean electrolyte (6.2 µL mg−1). More impressively, HACS is dry‐pressed into free‐standing thick electrodes up to 35.4 mg cm−2 and corresponding practical ZIC under limited Zn and low N/P ratio demonstrates ultrahigh areal capacitance (9 F cm−2) and energy density (3.47 mWh cm−2). The outstanding performance can be attributed to fast ion transport enabled by through‐plane pores of HACS, as well as abundant double‐layer and redox‐active surfaces from favorable heteroatom‐doped porous nanosheets. With its cost‐effectiveness, elemental abundance, and structural tunability, this molecular carbon strategy offers a platform for making self‐activated carbon electrodes at the molecular level towards practical supercapacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc‐ion batteries are regarded as promising and efficient energy storage systems owing to remarkable safety and satisfactory capacity. Nevertheless, the instability of zinc metal anodes, characterized by issues such as dendrite growth and parasitic side reactions, poses a significant barrier to widespread applications. Herein, we address this challenge by designing a localized conjugated structure comprising a cyclic polyacrylonitrile polymer (CPANZ), induced by a Zn2+‐based Lewis acid (zinc trifluoromethylsulfonate) at a temperature of 120 °C. The CPANZ layer on the Zn anode, enriched with appropriate pyridine nitrogen‐rich groups (conjugated cyclic −C=N−), exhibits a notable affinity for Zn2+ with ample deposition sites. This zincophilic skeleton not only serves as a protective layer to guide the deposition of Zn2+ but also functions as proton channel blocker, regulating the proton flux to mitigate the hydrogen evolution. Additionally, the strong adhesion strength of the CPANZ layer guarantees its sustained protection to the Zn metal during long‐term cycling. As a result, the modified zinc electrode demonstrates long cycle life and high durability in both half‐cell and pouch cells. These findings present a feasible approach to designing high performance aqueous anodes by introducing a localized conjugated layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible wearable electronics enable an in situ and real‐time measurement of human physiology and micro‐environment. Although large‐scale production of flexible wearable electronics is demonstrated using direct printing techniques, the "wet" nature of these techniques requires multiple procedures and chemicals to prepare printable inks, increasing the complexity and cost. Here, a dry‐wet hybrid direct printing is developed for the mass production of flexible wearable photodetectors, in which a "dry" direct laser writing and a "wet" screen printing are employed to fabricate laser‐induced graphene as electrode layer and zinc oxide as photosensitive layer, respectively. The liquid‐free fabrication of LIG significantly reduces the complexity and cost of the production. An automatic conveyor belt is designed to realize continuous‐flow manufacturing. The photodetectors demonstrate good ultraviolet (UV) photodetection performances, such as a photo‐to‐dark current ratio (Iphoto/Idark) of 5.67 × 105, approaching the record of similar devices. The manufacturing system presents a high reproducibility, considering that Iphoto/Idark only fluctuates within 7.10%. The flexible photodetectors are worn as wristbands after being integrated with a data acquisition and transmission circuit. UV intensity is real‐time monitored on a self‐developed mobile application. The continuous‐flow manufacturing based on the developed dry‐wet hybrid direct printing sheds light on the mass production of flexible wearable electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (AZIBs) are considered as attractive energy storage systems with great promise owing to their low cost, environmental friendliness and high safety. Nevertheless, cathode materials with stable structure and rapid diffusion of zinc ions are in great demand for AZIBs. In this work, a new kind of potassium vanadate compound (KV3O8) is synthesized with fibrous morphology as an excellent cathode material for AZIBs, which shows outstanding electrochemical performance. KV3O8 exhibits a high discharge capacity of 556.4 mAh g−1 at 0.8 A g−1, and the capacity retention is 81.3% at 6 A g−1 even after a long cycle life of 5000 cycles. The excellent performance of the KV3O8 cathode is benefited from the structural stability, sufficient active sites, and high conductivity, which is revealed by in situ X‐ray diffraction and various other characterizations. This work offers a new design strategy into fabricating high efficiency cathode materials for AZIBs and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degraded performance due to uncontrolled dendrite growth and unfavorable side reactions of the zinc metal anode seriously affects the further application of aqueous zinc ion batteries (ZIBs). In this work, the inexpensive and readily available natural material diatomite with unique structural and compositional advantages was employed for zinc metal anode modification. In terms of composition, under the modulating effect of the unique built-in electric field of the high-entropy composition, the transport kinetics of zinc ions at the electrode interface is effectively regulated, achieving a beneficial deposition process beneath the modified layer. In terms of structure, the porous structure abundant with hydroxyl groups allows the solventized structure of Zn(H2O)62+ to be reconstituted, enabling an efficient desolventization process of zinc ions. As a result, a stable cycling performance of 3200 h at 1 mA cm−2 is achieved. Long cycling stability is also realized in the assembled full cell. This work provides an effective regulating mechanism for the research of Zn–metal interfacial modification. The development of natural high-entropy materials is expected to provide a new reference for the synthetic high-entropy materials and further broaden the path to high-performance aqueous ZIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key challenge to apply aqueous zinc‐metal batteries (AZMBs) as next‐generation energy storage devices is to eliminate the adverse reactions of hydrogen evolution, especially in low current. Here, superhydrophobic and ionophilic artificial solid electrolyte interface (HI‐SEI) on zinc anode is proposed and constructed by enhancing roughness and etching ion channels in universal polysiloxane polymer backbones. The HI‐SEI exhibits superhydrophobicity with high contact angle of 151.5° and ionophilicity with low activation energy of 23.97 kJ mol−1. Thus, the HI‐SEI isolates Zn metal and solvent water and promotes desolvation kinetics of Zn2+. Besides, the HI‐SEI alters the double electric layer structure to form a compact layer hardly any adsorbed solvent water, achieving a small nucleation overpotential of 5 mV and low self‐corrosion current density of 0.95 µA cm−2. Moreover, a symmetric cell with HI‐SEI@Zn anode has a cycle life of >1330 h at low current of 0.1 mA cm−2. And a full cell with HI‐SEI@Zn anode and NaV3O8‐1.5H2O cathode provides long cycle life and low capacity degradation (180 mAh g−1 after 1100 cycles). Hopefully, SEI designs based on such a strategy will be able to improve the low‐current cycling performance of the next‐generation AZMBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing environmental pollution issues and continuous energy dilemma call for high‐performance energy storage systems (ESSs). While the inevitable safety concerns appear and restrict the application of lithium‐ion batteries in large‐scale ESSs. Contrastively, zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) attract increasing attention due to the inherent advantages of high safety, low cost, and environmental friendliness. However, the poor stability and reversibility of Zn anodes bring severe difficulty for its practical application. Considerable efforts are devoted in the anode modification, such as electrolyte adjustment, interfacial engineering, and anode structure design, but there is still a fuzzy field concerning the reaction process, regulation mechanism, and modified effect. Reviewing the history, the development of various electrodes greatly depends on the breakthrough in advanced characterization technologies, while the summarizations of technological advances in the Zn anode are still deficient. Hence, this review concentrates on the recent progress in various characterization techniques and related strategies of anode protection. The information is especially highlighted that each technique can offer the crucial or auxiliary role they play in proving specific issues. Furthermore, the opinions on current limitations and future directions of common characterization techniques are also discussed in detail, aiming to give a comprehensive perspective in designing advanced zinc anodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Zn//V2O5 system not only faces the incontrollable growth of zinc (Zn) dendrites, but also withstands the cross‐talk effect of by‐products produced from the cathode side to the Zn anode, inducing interelectrode talk and aggravating battery failure. To tackle these issues, we construct a rapid Zn2+‐conducting hydrogel electrolyte (R‐ZSO) to achieve Zn deposition modulation and side reaction inhibition in Zn//V2O5 full cells. The polymer matrix and BN exhibit a robust anchoring effect on SO42−, accelerating Zn2+ migration and enabling dense Zn deposition behavior. Therefore, the Zn//Zn symmetric cells based on the R‐ZSO electrolyte can operate stably for more than 1500 h, which is six times higher than that of cells employing the blank electrolyte. More importantly, the R‐ZSO hydrogel electrolyte effectively decouples the cross‐talk effects, thus breaking the infinite loop of side reactions. As a result, the Zn//V2O5 cells using this modified hydrogel electrolyte demonstrate stable operation over 1,000 cycles, with a capacity loss rate of only 0.028 % per cycle. Our study provides a promising gel chemistry, which offers a valuable guide for the construction of high‐performance and multifunctional aqueous Zn‐ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Zn//V2O5 system not only faces the incontrollable growth of zinc (Zn) dendrites, but also withstands the cross‐talk effect of by‐products produced from the cathode side to the Zn anode, inducing interelectrode talk and aggravating battery failure. To tackle these issues, we construct a rapid Zn2+‐conducting hydrogel electrolyte (R‐ZSO) to achieve Zn deposition modulation and side reaction inhibition in Zn//V2O5 full cells. The polymer matrix and BN exhibit a robust anchoring effect on SO42−, accelerating Zn2+ migration and enabling dense Zn deposition behavior. Therefore, the Zn//Zn symmetric cells based on the R‐ZSO electrolyte can operate stably for more than 1500 h, which is six times higher than that of cells employing the blank electrolyte. More importantly, the R‐ZSO hydrogel electrolyte effectively decouples the cross‐talk effects, thus breaking the infinite loop of side reactions. As a result, the Zn//V2O5 cells using this modified hydrogel electrolyte demonstrate stable operation over 1,000 cycles, with a capacity loss rate of only 0.028 % per cycle. Our study provides a promising gel chemistry, which offers a valuable guide for the construction of high‐performance and multifunctional aqueous Zn‐ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, it is proposed to develop new electrodes for high performance and flexible supercapacitors by doping sodium borate (Na2B4O5(OH)4·8H2O) (NaB) and zinc borate (Zn3B6O12·3.5H2O) (ZnB) to poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) for the first time. NaB and ZnB were doped to PEDOT:PSS in different ratios (0, 0.3, 0.6, 1.25 and 2.5 mg ml−1) and coated on glass substrates by a spin coating method, which is a simple and low cost deposition technically. Studies were carried out to determine the structural, electrical, optical and morphological properties of the thin films produced. Electrochemical properties were determined by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge/discharge (GCD) tests. The 2.5 mg ml−1 NaB doped PEDOT:PPS/GCE exhibited 10 times higher capacitance than the undoped PEDOT:PSS electrode material (1.0 V potential range, 0.1 M NaCl electrolyte). This study proposes a new electrode material produced at low cost in one-step for supercapacitor applications with improved electrochemical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring suitable and economically efficient cathode materials for zinc‐ion batteries plays a vital role in combating current challenges and achieving practical applications. Herein, Zn3(PO4)2 nanoparticles with exceptional battery properties were produced via microwave‐assisted hydrothermal synthesis. The synthesis was conducted at different microwave heating times (3, 5, 10, and 15 min) at a fixed temperature of 200°C. The structural properties of synthesized Zn3(PO4)2 were studied via XRD, FESEM‐EDS, and TEM studies, while the electrochemical parameters were evaluated through CV, GCD, and EIS in a standard 3‐electrode system with 1 M KOH as an electrolyte at a room temperature. The electrochemical results show that Zn3(PO4)2 synthesized at 10 min microwave heating time reported the best electrochemical performance with a specific capacity value of 38.90 and 31.89 C/g at a scan rate of 10 mV/s and current density of 1 A/g, respectively. Furthermore, a stability test of the synthesized electrode material reported an excellent cyclability of the electrode with 79% retention of the initial value of its specific capacity after 1000 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a previous study, the larger size of synthetic zeolite particles was highlighted as better choice for electrocoagulation combined with zeolite (ECZ). This choice resulted in a smaller rise in pH and temperature, a more significant decline in turbidity as well as chemical oxygen demand (COD), and lower electrode wastage, but with greater damage to the electrode surface. The focus of this study was to determine whether natural zeolite of three different particle sizes has the same effect on the ECZ process. The Taguchi method L9 was employed in planning the experiments, with particle sizes of natural zeolite ranging up to 600 μm, three different electrode materials (carbon steel, aluminium alloy, and sacrificial zinc anode), current density in the range of 0.003–0.018 A cm−2, and contact time in the range 10–30 min. The Taguchi optimisation results revealed a more significant decrease in COD and turbidity with the smallest particle size of natural zeolite used (90 µm) and with Al electrodes. Evidently, the zeolite particle size, together with the zeolite composition, had a significant influence on the reduction in COD and turbidity. Anode consumption ranged from 0.0172 to 0.6469 g, with minor cathode consumption evident on all electrode materials. Optical microscopy analysis indicated significant corrosion of the anodes, particularly with the largest natural zeolite particle size of 160–600 µm, while minor corrosion damage was also observed on the cathodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A scalable method is developed to fabricate free-standing and integrated electrodes. • The synergistic effect within the electrode enables a series of superior properties. • The developed electrode offers significantly improved electrochemical performance. • Commercial level of areal capacity can be readily achieved with ultralow N/P ratio. • The electrode owns impressive tolerance to low temperatures and bending deformations. Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) present a highly promising avenue for the deployment of grid-scale energy storage systems. However, the electrodes fabricated through conventional methodologies not only suffer from insufficient mass loadings, but also are susceptible to exfoliation under deformations. Herein, a scalable and cost-effective freezing-thawing method is developed to construct free-standing and integrated electrode, comprising H 11 Al 2 V 6 O 23.2 , carboxymethyl cellulose, and carbon nanotubes. Benefiting from the synergistic effect of these components, the resultant electrode exhibits superior flexibility and robustness, large tensile strength, exceptional electrical conductivity, and favorable electrolyte wettability. Under a large mass loading of 8 mg cm−2 (corresponding to a negative/positive electrode capacity ratio of 2.09), the electrode achieves remarkable capacity of 345.2 mAh/g (2.76 mAh cm−2) at 0.2 A/g and maintains 235.2 mAh/g (1.88 mAh cm−2) at 4 A/g, while sustaining an impressive capacity retention of 97.7 % over 5000 cycles. These considerably outperform conventional electrodes employing traditional binders. Even at an elevated mass loading of 14 mg cm−2 or when operated at a low temperature of − 30 °C, the electrode continues to deliver excellent electrochemical performance (e.g. , extraordinary areal capacity of 4.32 mAh cm−2). In addition, the electrode owns outstanding tolerance to external forces. This research contributes to our understanding of the pivotal challenges within the realm of AZIB technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aqueous zinc‐ion battery is promising as grid scale energy storage device, but hindered by the instable electrode/electrolyte interface. Herein, we report the lean‐water ionic liquid electrolyte for aqueous zinc metal batteries. The lean‐water ionic liquid electrolyte creates the hydrophobic tri‐layer interface assembled by first two layers of hydrophobic OTF− and EMIM+ and third layer of loosely attached water, beyond the classical Gouy–Chapman–Stern theory based electrochemical double layer. By taking advantage of the hydrophobic tri‐layer interface, the lean‐water ionic liquid electrolyte enables a wide electrochemical working window (2.93 V) with relatively high zinc ion conductivity (17.3 mS/cm). Furthermore, the anion crowding interface facilitates the OTF− decomposition chemistry to create the mechanically graded solid electrolyte interface layer to simultaneously suppress the dendrite formation and maintain the mechanical stability. In this way, the lean‐water based ionic liquid electrolyte realizes the ultralong cyclability of over 10000 cycles at 20 A/g and at practical condition of N/P ratio of 1.5, the cumulated areal capacity reach 1.8 Ah/cm2, which outperforms the state‐of‐the‐art zinc metal battery performance. Our work highlights the importance of the stable electrode/electrolyte interface stability, which would be practical for building high energy grid scale zinc‐ion battery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quasi‐solid zinc‐ion batteries using hydrogel electrolytes show great potential in energy storage devices owing to their intrinsic safety, fewer side reactions and wide electrochemical windows. However, the dendrite issues on the zinc anodes cannot be fundamentally eliminated and the intrinsic anode‐electrolyte interfacial interspace is rarely investigated. Here, we design a dynamically healable gelatin‐based hydrogel electrolyte with a highly reversible sol‐gel transition, which can construct a conformal electrode‐electrolyte interface and further evolve into a stable solid‐solid interface by in situ solidification. The unique helical gelatin chain structure provides a uniform channel for zinc ion transport by the bridging effect of sulfate groups. As a consequence, the dynamically healable interface enables dendrite‐free zinc anodes and repeatedly repairs the anode‐electrolyte interfacial interspaces by the reversible sol‐gel transition of gelatin electrolyte to retain long‐lasting protection for sustainable zinc‐ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aqueous zinc‐ion battery is promising as grid scale energy storage device, but hindered by the instable electrode/electrolyte interface. Herein, we report the lean‐water ionic liquid electrolyte for aqueous zinc metal batteries. The lean‐water ionic liquid electrolyte creates the hydrophobic tri‐layer interface assembled by first two layers of hydrophobic OTF− and EMIM+ and third layer of loosely attached water, beyond the classical Gouy–Chapman–Stern theory based electrochemical double layer. By taking advantage of the hydrophobic tri‐layer interface, the lean‐water ionic liquid electrolyte enables a wide electrochemical working window (2.93 V) with relatively high zinc ion conductivity (17.3 mS/cm). Furthermore, the anion crowding interface facilitates the OTF− decomposition chemistry to create the mechanically graded solid electrolyte interface layer to simultaneously suppress the dendrite formation and maintain the mechanical stability. In this way, the lean‐water based ionic liquid electrolyte realizes the ultralong cyclability of over 10000 cycles at 20 A/g and at practical condition of N/P ratio of 1.5, the cumulated areal capacity reach 1.8 Ah/cm2, which outperforms the state‐of‐the‐art zinc metal battery performance. Our work highlights the importance of the stable electrode/electrolyte interface stability, which would be practical for building high energy grid scale zinc‐ion battery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quasi‐solid zinc‐ion batteries using hydrogel electrolytes show great potential in energy storage devices owing to their intrinsic safety, fewer side reactions and wide electrochemical windows. However, the dendrite issues on the zinc anodes cannot be fundamentally eliminated and the intrinsic anode‐electrolyte interfacial interspace is rarely investigated. Here, we design a dynamically healable gelatin‐based hydrogel electrolyte with a highly reversible sol‐gel transition, which can construct a conformal electrode‐electrolyte interface and further evolve into a stable solid‐solid interface by in situ solidification. The unique helical gelatin chain structure provides a uniform channel for zinc ion transport by the bridging effect of sulfate groups. As a consequence, the dynamically healable interface enables dendrite‐free zinc anodes and repeatedly repairs the anode‐electrolyte interfacial interspaces by the reversible sol‐gel transition of gelatin electrolyte to retain long‐lasting protection for sustainable zinc‐ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) have emerged as a promising battery technology due to their excellent safety, high capacity, low cost, and eco-friendliness. However, the cycle life of AZIBs is limited by severe side reactions and zinc dendrite growth on the zinc electrode surface, hindering large-scale application. Here, an electrolyte optimization strategy utilizing the simplest dipeptide glycylglycine (Gly-Gly) additive is first proposed. Theoretical calculations and spectral analysis revealed that, due to the strong interaction between the amino group and Zn atoms, Gly-Gly preferentially adsorbs on zinc's surface, constructing a stable and adaptive interfacial layer that inhibits zinc side reactions and dendrite growth. Furthermore, Gly-Gly can regulate zinc ion solvation, leading to a deposition mode shift from dendritic to lamellar and limiting two-dimensional dendrite diffusion. The symmetric cell with the addition of a 20 g/L Gly-Gly additive exhibits a cycle life of up to 1100 h. Under a high current density of 10 mA cm−2, a cycle life of 750 cycles further demonstrates the reliable adaptability of the interfacial layer. This work highlights the potential of Gly-Gly as a promising solution for improving the performance of AZIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: A stable Zn anode was obtained by patterning Zn foil surfaces and endowing a zincphilic interface in microchannels. The accumulation of electrons in the microchannel and the zincphilic interface promoted preferential heteroepitaxial Zn deposition in the microchannel region and subsequent homoepitaxial Zn deposition on the array surface. The Zn symmetrical cells could undergo repeated plating/stripping for more than 25,000 cycles at the current densities of 10 and 20 mA cm−2. The undesirable dendrite growth induced by non-planar zinc (Zn) deposition and low Coulombic efficiency resulting from severe side reactions have been long-standing challenges for metallic Zn anodes and substantially impede the practical application of rechargeable aqueous Zn metal batteries (ZMBs). Herein, we present a strategy for achieving a high-rate and long-cycle-life Zn metal anode by patterning Zn foil surfaces and endowing a Zn-Indium (Zn-In) interface in the microchannels. The accumulation of electrons in the microchannel and the zincophilicity of the Zn-In interface promote preferential heteroepitaxial Zn deposition in the microchannel region and enhance the tolerance of the electrode at high current densities. Meanwhile, electron aggregation accelerates the dissolution of non-(002) plane Zn atoms on the array surface, thereby directing the subsequent homoepitaxial Zn deposition on the array surface. Consequently, the planar dendrite-free Zn deposition and long-term cycling stability are achieved (5,050 h at 10.0 mA cm−2 and 27,000 cycles at 20.0 mA cm−2). Furthermore, a Zn/I2 full cell assembled by pairing with such an anode can maintain good stability for 3,500 cycles at 5.0 C, demonstrating the application potential of the as-prepared ZnIn anode for high-performance aqueous ZMBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose an electrode-free zinc manganese battery, where both zinc and MnO2 are electro-deposited from the electrolyte via a charging process onto carbon current collectors. The electrode-free batteries show an improved cycling performance of thin-film batteries than the ones with a zinc anode and a facilitated fabrication process for fiber batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dendritic growth and severe side reactions remain challenging problems for advancing aqueous zinc‐ion batteries. Those critical issues are closely related to the interfacial chemistry, solvation structure, and transportation kinetics of zinc ions. Herein, a regulated ion‐conductive electrode–electrolyte interface (PVA‐Zn(CF3SO3)2‐Si3N4, denoted as PZS) on Zn metal has been in situ constructed, which simultaneously solves the above‐mentioned issues. PZS can effectively accelerate ion transportation and extrude interfacial water, thus endowing dendrite‐free Zn deposition and eliminating side reactions. Benefiting from these features, the PZS‐Zn exhibits stable and reversible Zn stripping/plating with an ultralong cycling life of 3800 h, and an ultrahigh Coulombi efficiency of 99.8%. The full cell paired with the NH4V4O10 cathode runs stably over 1000 cycles at 5 A g−1 with near 100% capacity retention and is demonstrated to cycle up to 200 times along with 71.94% capacity retention in a practical cathode‐anode coupling configuration pouch cell. With this interfacial design, the assembled zinc batteries display excellent cycling stability, paving a practical way for aqueous Zn‐storage systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a common water pollutant, ammonia nitrogen poses a serious risk to human health and the ecological environment. Therefore, it is important to develop a simple and efficient sensing scheme to achieve accurate detection of ammonia nitrogen. Here, we report a simple fabrication electrode for the electrochemical synthesis of platinum–zinc alloy nanoflowers (PtZn NFs) on the surface of carbon cloth. The obtained PtZn NFs/CC electrode was applied to the electrochemical detection of ammonia nitrogen by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The enhanced electrocatalytic activity of PtZn NFs and the larger electrochemical active area of the self-supported PtZn NFs/CC electrode are conducive to improving the ammonia nitrogen detection performance of the sensitive electrode. Under optimized conditions, the PtZn NFs/CC electrode exhibits excellent electrochemical performance with a wide linear range from 1 to 1000 µM, a sensitivity of 21.5 μA μM−1 (from 1 μM to 100 μM) and a lower detection limit of 27.81 nM, respectively. PtZn NFs/CC electrodes show excellent stability and anti-interference. In addition, the fabricated electrochemical sensor can be used to detect ammonia nitrogen in tap water and lake water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc-based aqueous dual-ion batteries (ADIBs) with halogen-graphite intercalation compound positive electrodes are among the most competitive candidates for next-generation electrochemical energy storage systems. However, most of the electrolytes employed have been gel-like electrolytes; hence, a fundamental understanding of the halogen storage process using fluid hydrates will be essential for constructing efficient Zn-based ADIBs. Herein, the halogen storage mechanism on a graphite electrode from fluid ZnCl2/ZnBr2 hydrates is studied by experimental and computational methods. The results indicate that the halogen storage mechanism is a competition between conversion and intercalation. Moreover, the macroscopic electrode reaction is determined by both the ion-pair solvation state at the graphite–electrolyte interface and the subsequent reactant supply is influenced by the electrode reaction rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc–iodine (Zn–I2) batteries, with their outstanding merits in safety, cost, and environmental friendliness, have received extensive attention. However, the unstable electrochemistry at the electrode–electrolyte interface originating from free water results in zinc dendrite growth, hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and polyiodide ions shuttle, hindering their practical applications. Herein, solid‐state Zn–I2 batteries based on an inorganic ZnPS3 (ZPS) electrolyte are developed to overcome inherent interfacial issues associated with aqueous electrolytes. The inorganic ZnPS3 electrolyte, with a low Zn2+ diffusion energy barrier of ≈0.3 eV, demonstrates an exceptional ion conductivity of 2.0 × 10−3 S cm−1 (30 °C), which also satisfies high chemical/electrochemical stability and mechanical strength. The solid Zn2+ conduction mechanism, facilitated by bounded water only on grains, effectively suppresses HER and polyiodide ions shuttling. During cycling, a ZnS functional layer is spontaneously formed on the anode/electrolyte interphase, promoting dendrite‐free Zn deposition behavior with a more stable (002) crystal orientation. Consequently, the solid‐state configuration of Zn–I2 battery enables an impressive reversible capacity of 154.2 mAh g−1 after 400 cycles at 0.1 A g−1. Importantly, the compatibility of the solid‐state ZnPS3 electrolyte is also confirmed in the Zn||CuS cell, indicating its potential as a versatile platform for developing inorganic solid‐state zinc‐ion batteries (ZIBs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal phosphates are an emerging class of materials with large porosity that endows them with high specific capacity and ionic conductivity. However, the binder and carbon additive are required to fabricate the electrodes which adds extra expenditure to the supercapacitor's overall fabrication cost. The binder-free electrode fabrication provides a hope to eliminate the need for binders and hence the carbon additive for supercapacitor applications. In this work, a binder-free zinc phosphate hydrate (ZPOH) based electrode is fabricated using a cost-effective hydrothermal method. Two additional electrodes were also fabricated – one without carbon additive (ZPOWCB) and another with the addition of carbon additive (ZPOCB) using the conventional slurry preparation method. ZPOH electrode showed remarkable enhancement in the specific capacity compared to the other two electrodes as it achieved a specific capacity of 433 C/g at a current density of 2 A/g. Moreover, ZPOH also showed negligible charge transfer resistance (R ct), depicting good electrolyte ions interaction with the active material. Hence, the easy and simple binder-free hydrothermal approach is more suitable for preparing electrode materials for energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • An operando crystal-amorphous transformation of VOOH is demonstrated via in-situ / ex-situ structural analyses. • The unique crystal-amorphous transformation allows the obtained amorphous V 2 O 5 to achieve the high capacity, superior rate performance, and high energy and power densities. • The potentiality of cathode materials via operando crystal-amorphous transformation to achieve the enhanced zinc storage is confirmed. Aqueous zinc-ion batteries have obtained broad attention due to their high safety, eco-friendliness, and low cost. However, they are still in the developing stage considering the limited candidate of high-performance cathode materials. Furthermore, the intrinsic storage zinc mechanism is also needed to uncover. Here, we propose an operando crystal-amorphous transformation of tunnel-type VOOH and the obtained amorphous V 2 O 5 serves as a high-performance zinc-ion battery cathode. In-situ X-ray diffraction corroborates the unique operando crystal-amorphous transformation of VOOH during the initial charging process. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy further demonstrate the element valence evolution and the lattice structure change, respectively. The operando electrochemical crystal-amorphous transformation allows the obtained amorphous V 2 O 5 to achieve the high capacity of ∼ 350.7 mAh g−1, rate performance (151.2 mAh g−1 at 6.4 A g−1), energy and power densities (137 Wh kg−1 at 6831 W kg−1), unveiling a promising approach of cathode materials via operando crystal-amorphous transformation to achieve the enhanced zinc storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global overabundance of electronic waste and ever‐increasing concerns regarding the energy‐and material‐intensive manufacturing processes associated with traditional electronics are driving the development of solution‐processed, degradable electronics. Of note, the industry‐dominating prevalence of harmful lead‐based materials in sensing and actuating devices drives the push for more eco‐friendly solution‐processed piezoelectric systems. Yet current ecofriendly multi‐material printing processes are limited by both the conventional challenges of multilayer processes as well as the low‐temperature thermal constraints of biodegradable materials. Herein, a novel approach for fabricating fully printed, sustainable piezoelectric transducers on paper substrates is presented. Low‐temperature screen‐printing processes are used to integrate non‐toxic KNbO3 layers with degradable carbon‐ or zinc‐based conductive inks into devices. The influence of electrode material on device characteristics is assessed, with effective piezoelectric coefficients reported as high as 4.6 pC N−1 and 5.1 pC N−1 for devices with carbon and zinc electrodes respectively. The potential of the developed technology is then demonstrated through the first‐ever instance of fully printed piezoelectric force sensors and acoustic speakers comprised entirely of green materials. By demonstrating entirely printable green piezoelectric devices compatible with various electrode materials, this work serves as a step towards developing more complex sustainable piezoelectric technologies in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A facile "chemical blowing" strategy is developed to expand the dense and micron-scale thickness walls into interconnected carbon nanosheets. • Zn(NO 3) 2 is proved to functioned as blowing agent, precursor of template, activator, and nitrogen dopant. • The optimized thick carbon monolith with high-mass loading (∼30 mg cm−2) delivers encouraging capacitive performance in low-temperature. Biomass-derived carbon materials are promising electrode materials for capacitive energy storage. Herein, inspired by the hierarchical structure of natural wood, carbon monoliths built up by interconnected porous carbon nanosheets with enriched vertical channels were obtained via zinc nitrate (Zn(NO 3) 2)-assisted synthesis and served as thick electrodes for capacitive energy storage. Zn(NO 3) 2 is proved to function as expansion agent, activator, dopant, and precursor of the template. The dense and micron-scale thickness walls of wood were expanded by Zn(NO 3) 2 into porous and interconnected nanosheets. The pore volume and specific surface area were increased by more than 430 %. The initial specific capacitance and rate performance of the optimized carbon monolith was approximately three times that of the pristine dense carbon framework. The assembled symmetric supercapacitor possessed a high initial specific capacitance of 4564 mF cm−2 (0–1.7 V) at −40 °C. Impressively, the robust device could be cycled more than 100,000 times with little capacitance attenuation. The assembled zinc-ion hybrid capacitor (0.2–2 V) delivered a large specific capacitance of 4500 mF cm−2 at −40 °C, approximately 74 % of its specific capacitance at 25 °C. Our research paves a new avenue to design thick carbon electrodes with high capacitive performance by multifunctional Zn(NO 3) 2 for low-temperature applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main bottlenecks that hinder the performance of rechargeable zinc electrochemical cells are their limited cycle lifetime and energy density. To overcome these limitations, this work studied the mechanism of a dual-ion Zn-Cu electrolyte to suppress dendritic formation and extend the device cycle life while concurrently enhancing the utilization ratio of zinc and thereby increasing the energy density of zinc ion capacitors (ZICs). The ZICs achieved a best-in-class energy density of 41 watt hour per kilogram with a negative-to-positive (n/p) electrode capacity ratio of 3.10. At the n/p ratio of 5.93, the device showed a remarkable cycle life of 22,000 full charge-discharge cycles, which was equivalent to 557 hours of discharge. The cumulative capacity reached ~581 ampere hour per gram, surpassing the benchmarks of lithium and sodium ion capacitors and highlighting the promise of the dual-ion electrolyte for delivering high-performance, low-maintenance electrochemical energy supplies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]