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In-situ construction of zinc polyacrylate (ZPAA) interphase on Zn anode tunes the interfacial electric field and permits rapid Zn-ion transport for facilitating uniform Zn deposition due to superior zincophilicity and inherent ion-diffusion channel, thus achieving an excellent Zn plating/stripping cycling stability. [Display omitted] The irreversibility and low utilization of Zn anode stemming from the corrosion and dendrite growth have largely limited the commercialization of aqueous zinc batteries. Here, a carbonyl-rich polymer interphase of zinc polyacrylate (ZPAA) is spontaneously in-situ constructed on Zn anode to address the above-mentioned dilemmas. The ZPAA interlayer enables fast transport kinetics of Zn2+ and tailors the interfacial electric field for realizing the uniform Zn deposition due to superior zincophilicity, high Zn2+ transference number and inherent ion-diffusion channel. Importantly, acting as a buffer interphase with strong adhesion and isolation of electrolytes, this functional layer effectively protects the Zn electrode against the water-induced erosion and passivation. Remarkably, the ZPAA@Zn electrode realizes an enhanced Coulombic efficiency of 99.71 % within 2200 cycles, delivers an ultra-long cycling stability over 7660 h (>319 days, 1 mA cm−2) and 2460 h (5 mA cm−2) with lower voltage hysteresis. Also, the ZPAA@Zn/MnO 2 full cell maintains a high capacity of 114 mAh/g after 2000 cycles, much better that of untreated Zn/MnO 2 cell (25 mAh/g). This concept of in-situ fabricating ion-sieve-like polymer interphase provides a facile approach to stabilize Zn anode and further paves a way for high-performance aqueous batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dual-functional ionic liquid additive, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate (BMIHSO 4), is developed to tune the preferential Zn(002) crystallographic texture and simultaneously suppress the hydroxide sulfate accumulation on Zn anode by dynamically manipulating electrolyte pH-surroundings. The effective suppression of Zn dendrite growth enables a Zn symmetrical cell cycling stably to over one year. [Display omitted] Zn anodes suffer from the formation of uncontrolled dendrites aggravated by the uneven electric field and the insulating by-product accumulation in aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs). Here, an effective strategy implemented by 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate (BMIHSO 4) additive is proposed to synergistically tune the crystallographic orientation of zinc deposition and suppress the formation of zinc hydroxide sulfate for enhancing the reversibility on Zn anode surface. As a competing cation, BMI+ is proved to preferably adsorb on Zn-electrode compared with H 2 O molecules, which shields the "tip effect" and inhibits the Zn-deposition agglomerations to inducing the horizontal growth along Zn (002) crystallographic texture. Simultaneously, the protonated BMIHSO 4 additives could remove the detrimental OH– in real-time to fundamentally eliminate the accumulation of 6Zn(OH) 2 ·ZnSO 4 ·4H 2 O and Zn 4 SO 4 (OH) 6 ·H 2 O on Zn anode surface. Consequently, Zn anode exhibits an ultra-long cycling stability of one year (8762 h) at 0.2 mA cm−2/0.2 mAh cm−2, 3600 h at 2 mA cm−2/2 mAh cm−2 with a high plating cumulative capacity of 3.6 Ah cm−2, and a high average Coulombic efficiency of 99.6 % throughout 1000 cycles. This work of regulating Zn deposition texture combined with eliminating notorious by-products could offer a desirable way for stabilizing the Zn-anode/electrolyte interface in AZIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid‐state lithium–sulfur batteries (SSLSBs) are highly appealing for electrochemical energy devices because of their promising theoretical energy density. An intensive acquaintance of SSLS interfacial behavior is of importance in gaining fundamental knowledge of working/failure mechanisms and clarifying further optimized design of advanced batteries. Herein, a direct visualization of the evolution of both component and structure is present inside a working SSLSB. In situ Raman spectroscopy clearly sheds light on the potential‐dependent evolution of sulfur speciation via subtly fabricating the electrochemical cell. Moreover, the real‐time optical microscopic views show that the irreversible structure deformation of solid‐state electrolytes (SSEs), which results from the decomposition of dissolved polysulfides (PSs) and gas generation inside the SSE, directly causes the fracture of sulfur cathode with the cycling times increasing. Furthermore, by an atomic force microscopy study, the evolving structure and dynamic behavior of SSEs are directly captured at the nano/microscale and further elucidate the PS shuttling determining the mechanism stability of electrolyte. This work provides a straightforward monitoring of the compositional and morphological evolution, which contributes one to exploring the failure mechanisms and interfacial reactions for the cell performance enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Monoclinic-ZrO 2 @rGO and tetragonal-ZrO 2 @rGO obtained by controlling the triethanolamine usage. • Two nanocomposites with a remarkable selectivity for oxytetracycline among tetracyclines family. • Tetragonal-ZrO 2 @rGO with a higher adsorptive amount of oxytetracycline. • Sorption of oxytetracycline by two nanocomposites follows pseudo-second order and Langmuir models. • Sorption of oxytetracycline is endothermic and spontaneous in nature through multi-interactions. Oxytetracycline (OTC), as one of widely applied veterinary antibiotic, has become a new environmental pollutant. To explore the feasibility of the nanocomposites of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) with the ZrO 2 nanoparticles for OTC removal, two nanocomposites of monoclinic-ZrO 2 @rGO and tetragonal-ZrO 2 @rGO through controlling the dosage of triethanolamine are prepared successfully and characterized. Detail investigation of the adsorption for the family of tetracycline antibiotics on the two nanocomposites has been assessed. For comparison, the tetragonal-ZrO 2 @rGO (198.4 mg g−1) exhibits a higher adsorptive amount than the monoclinic-ZrO 2 @rGO (177.9 mg g−1), whereas two nanocomposites demonstrate a remarkably selective uptake of OTC among the family of tetracycline antibiotics due to their higher affinity towards OTC. Adsorption of OTC by in 15 min can reach the equilibrium and is independent on pH in the range of 4–8. The adsorption of OTC by the two nanocomposites is well matched by both pseudo-second order and Langmuir models and exhibits a favorable, endothermic and spontaneous nature. Fourier transform infrared and XRD analysis reveal the interactions between OTC and the nanocomposites such as surface complexation, π-π and cation-π bonding interactions with a crucial role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ionic liquid-integrated aqueous electrolyte was designed to remodel the interfacial electrical double layer with simultaneously manipulating solvation chemistry and adsorption situation on the Zn anode, which facilitates the Zn(H 2 O) 6 2+ desolvation process and Zn ion flux, thus enabling an excellent Zn plating/stripping cycling stability with negligible by-products and Zn-dendrites. [Display omitted] Zn anodes suffer from poor reversibility and stability owing to nonuniform dendrite growth and self-corrosion. Here, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate (EMImAc) is introduced to reconstruct interfacial electrical double layer with simultaneously manipulating the solvation environment and the adsorption situation on Zn anode. The acetate anions with high nucleophilicity can effectively alter the solvation shell around Zn2+ ions and immobilize the H 2 O molecules, thus weakening water activity and alleviating water-related parasitic reactions. Concomitantly, both the imidazolium cation and acetate anion are inclined to gather on Zn anode surface for constructing an electrostatic shielding layer, and meanwhile the chemisorbed acetate anions also contribute to accelerate the Zn(H 2 O) 6 2+ desolvation process. Such a synergistic effect enables uniform electric field distribution and facilitates Zn ion flux, which mitigates the random diffusion of Zn2+ and finally promotes the dendrite-free deposition. As a result, the Zn/Zn symmetric cells with EMImAc-integrated aqueous electrolyte realize an excellent cycling lifespan of 7000 h (0.5 mA cm−2/0.25 mAh cm−2) and high Zn utilization of 61.3 % (15 mA cm−2/20 mAh cm−2). Furthermore, the effective of EMImAc additive is demonstrated in Zn/V 2 O 5 cells. This work offers insights into the ionic liquid-integrated aqueous electrolytes to enhance the interface stability of Zn anode for rechargeable zinc batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hybrid nanocomposites of zero-valent iron loaded the activated carbon derived from the corn stalk (ZVI@ACCS) was prepared and used to remove the antibiotics of tetracycline (TC), oxytetracycline (OTC) and chlortetracycline (CTC) from aqueous solution. The adsorption amounts of three antibiotics (103.1 mg g−1 for CTC, 72.9 mg g−1 for OTC and 81.5 mg g−1 for TC) were sensitive to the temperature and independent of pH in the range of 4.2–7.1 at 298 K through the synergistic interactions of the electrostatic attraction, the bridging complexation and the surface complexation. The equilibrium was performed within 20 min at 298 K. The spontaneous (Δ G o<0) and endothermic (Δ H o>0) adsorption of three antibiotics onto the ZVI@ACCS nanocomposites gave a better matching (r 2 > 0.99) with Langmuir and pseudo-second-order models. • Nanocomposites of zero valent iron@activated carbon from corn stalk was prepared. • Nanocomposites with advantages of high capacity, fast uptake rate and wide pH range. • Antibiotics adsorption fitted well with Langmuir and pseudo-second-order equations. • Spontaneous and endothermic process of antibiotics adsorption was found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the fast-charging capabilities and energy storage capacity of electric vehicles presents a feasible strategy for mitigating the prevalent concern of range anxiety in the market. Nanostructure electrode materials play a crucial role in this process. However, the current method of preparation is arduous and yields restricted quantities. In view of this, we have devised an innovative approach that provides convenience and efficacy, facilitating the large-scale synthesis of CoS2 nanoparticles, which exhibited exceptional performance. When the current density was 1000 mA g−1, the discharging capacity reached 760 mAh g−1 after 400 cycles. Remarkably, even at an increased current density of 5000 mA g−1, the discharging capacity of CoS2 remained at 685.5 mAh g−1. The ultra-high performance could be attributed to the specific surface area, which minimized the diffusion distance of sodium-ions during the charging and discharging processes and mitigated the extent of structural damage. Our straightforward preparation techniques facilitate the mass production and present a novel approach for the development of cost-effective and high-performing anode materials for sodium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rechargeable lithium‐metal batteries (RLBs), which employ the Li‐metal anode to acquire notably boosted specific energy at cell level, represent the "Holy Grail" for "beyond Li‐ion" electrochemical energy storage technology. Currently, the practical use of RLBs is impeded by poor cycling and safety performance, which are derived from high chemical reactivity of metallic Li and uncontrollable formation and propagation of metal dendrites during repeated Li plating/stripping. In this study, a new strategy is demonstrated to stabilize the anode electrochemistry of RLBs by applying a Mg3N2‐decorated functional separator onto the Li‐metal surface. An in situ conversion‐alloying reaction occurring at Li‐separator interface assists formation of a mixed ion/electron conducting layer that consists mainly of Li3N and Li‐Mg solid‐solution. The inorganic interlayer effectively suppresses parasitic reactions at Li‐electrolyte interface while simultaneously homogenizes Li+/e‐ flux across the interface and therefore, contributes to dendrite‐free operation of Li‐metal anode. A Li||LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 battery based on the functional separator delivers a reversible capacity of 129 mAh g‐1 after 600 cycles at 0.5 C, which corresponds to a capacity retention of 75.9%. The preparation of functional separator is scalable and adaptive to battery manufacture, which brings new opportunities to realize high‐energy RLBs with long cycle life and improved safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single‐crystalline Ni‐rich cathode (SC‐NCM) has attracted increasing interest owing to its greater capacity retention in advanced solid‐state lithium batteries (SSLBs), while suffers from severe interfacial instability during cycling. Here, via atomic layer deposition, Li3PO4 is introduced to coat SC‐NCM (L‐NCM), to suppress undesired side reaction and enhance interfacial stability. The dynamic degradation and surface regulation of SC‐NCM are investigated inside a working SSLB by in situ atomic force microscopy (AFM). We directly observe the uneven cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI) and surface defects on pristine SC‐NCM particle. Remarkably, the formed amorphous LiF‐rich CEI on L‐NCM maintains its initial structure upon cycling, and thus endows the battery with improved cycling stability and excellent rate capability. Such on‐site tracking provides deep insights into surface mechanism and structure–reactivity correlation of SC‐NCM, and thus benefits the optimizations of SSLBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single‐crystalline Ni‐rich cathode (SC‐NCM) has attracted increasing interest owing to its greater capacity retention in advanced solid‐state lithium batteries (SSLBs), while suffers from severe interfacial instability during cycling. Here, via atomic layer deposition, Li3PO4 is introduced to coat SC‐NCM (L‐NCM), to suppress undesired side reaction and enhance interfacial stability. The dynamic degradation and surface regulation of SC‐NCM are investigated inside a working SSLB by in situ atomic force microscopy (AFM). We directly observe the uneven cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI) and surface defects on pristine SC‐NCM particle. Remarkably, the formed amorphous LiF‐rich CEI on L‐NCM maintains its initial structure upon cycling, and thus endows the battery with improved cycling stability and excellent rate capability. Such on‐site tracking provides deep insights into surface mechanism and structure–reactivity correlation of SC‐NCM, and thus benefits the optimizations of SSLBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complicated problems confronted by lithium (Li) anode hinder the practical application of quasi‐solid‐state lithium‐sulfur (QSSLS) batteries. However, the interfacial processes and reaction mechanisms, which are still vague, pose challenges to disclose. Herein, the insoluble sulfides stacking and Li dendrites growth on the Li anode are real‐time monitored via in‐situ atomic force microscopy inside the working QSSLS batteries. In the LiNO3‐added electrolyte, it is detected that the formation process of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) involves two stages, forming loose nanoparticles (NPs, ≈102 nm) at the open circuit potential and dense NPs (≈74 nm) during discharging owing to the synergism of Li polysulfides (LiPSs) and LiNO3. The compact SEI film not only blocks the erosion of LiPSs but also homogenizes the Li deposition behaviors, leading to the electrochemical performance enhancement of QSSLS batteries. These straightforward insights uncover the additive‐manipulated morphological/chemical evolution and interfacial properties and thus facilitate the improvement of QSSLS batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid-charging capability of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) can effectively alleviate the load on new energy vehicles. The electrode material's structure can be severely harmed by rapid charging and discharging, necessitating the use of electrode materials that exhibit excellent performance in fast-charging. In order to enhance the rapid charging capability of LIBs while maintaining a large capacity, we utilized nanotechnology and carbon coating to create Ge-CNFs, which are rod-shaped germanium/carbon nanofibers. These Ge-CNFs serve to mitigate the volume fluctuations of germanium. Ge-CNFs-(700) demonstrated remarkable electrochemical characteristics and durability, maintaining a 795.9 mAh∙g−1 capacity even after 100 cycles at 0.1 A∙g−1, a capacity of 281.6 mAh∙g−1 capacity after 5000 cycles at 5 A∙g−1, and achieved a Coulombic Efficiency of 99.76 %. Furthermore, the Ge-CNFs-(700)/LCO full cell achieving a discharge capacity of 124 mAh∙g−1 after 100 cycles when operated at a current density of 0.2 A∙g−1. The main reason for the excellent electrochemical performance was the ability of CNFs to reduce crushing by serving as a buffer to absorb mechanical stress resulting from volume changes when lithium ions are intercalated/deintercalated. The electrospinning technique used to create a rod-shaped structure, along with its outstanding electrochemical capabilities, showcases the promise of germanium-based materials for rapid charging in electric vehicles. • Combined the advantages of nanotechnology and carbon coating to design one-dimensional rod-shaped Ge-CNFs nanofibers. • Ge-CNFs-(700) exhibited ultra-high fast-charging performance and stability, retaining 281.6 mAh∙g−1 after 5000 cycles at 5 A∙g−1. • Ge-CNFs-(700)/LCO full cell achieving an excellent discharge capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unstable electrode/solid‐state electrolyte interfaces and internal lithium dendrite penetration hamper the applications of solid‐state lithium‐metal batteries (SSLMBs), and the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Herein, in situ optical microscopy provides insights into the lithium plating/stripping processes in a gel polymer electrolyte and reveals its dynamic evolution. Spherical lithium deposits evolve into moss‐like and branch‐shaped lithium dendrites with increasing current densities. Remarkably, the on‐site‐formed solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) shell on the lithium dendrite is distinctly captured after lithium stripping. Inducing an on‐site‐formed SEI shell with an enhanced modulus to wrap the lithium precipitation densely and uniformly can regulate dendrite‐free behaviors. An in‐depth understanding of lithium dendrite evolution and its functional SEI shell will aid in the optimization of SSLMBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unstable electrode/solid‐state electrolyte interfaces and internal lithium dendrite penetration hamper the applications of solid‐state lithium‐metal batteries (SSLMBs), and the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Herein, in situ optical microscopy provides insights into the lithium plating/stripping processes in a gel polymer electrolyte and reveals its dynamic evolution. Spherical lithium deposits evolve into moss‐like and branch‐shaped lithium dendrites with increasing current densities. Remarkably, the on‐site‐formed solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) shell on the lithium dendrite is distinctly captured after lithium stripping. Inducing an on‐site‐formed SEI shell with an enhanced modulus to wrap the lithium precipitation densely and uniformly can regulate dendrite‐free behaviors. An in‐depth understanding of lithium dendrite evolution and its functional SEI shell will aid in the optimization of SSLMBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]