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Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) are considered one of the most promising next-generation rechargeable batteries due to their high specific capacity. However, severe dendrite growth and subsequent formation of dead lithium (Li) during the battery cycling process impede its practical application. Although extensive experimental studies have been conducted to investigate the cycling process, and several theoretical models were developed to simulate the Li dendrite growth, there are limited theoretical studies on the dead Li formation, as well as the entire cycling process. Herein, we developed a phase-field model to simulate both electroplating and stripping process in a bare Li anode and Li anode covered with a protective layer. A step function is introduced in the stripping model to capture the dynamics of dead Li. Our simulation clearly shows the growth of dendrites from a bare Li anode during charging. These dendrites detach from the bulk anode during discharging, forming dead Li. Dendrite growth becomes more severe in subsequent cycles due to enhanced surface roughness of the Li anode, resulting in an increasing amount of dead Li. In addition, it is revealed that dendrites with smaller base diameters detach faster at the base and produce more dead lithium. Meanwhile, the Li anode covered with a protective layer cycles smoothly without forming Li dendrite and dead Li. However, if the protective layer is fractured, Li metal preferentially grows into the crack due to enhanced Li-ion (Li + ) flux and forms a dendrite structure after penetration through the protective layer, which accelerates the dead Li formation in the subsequent stripping process. Our work thus provides a fundamental understanding of the mechanism of dead Li formation during the charging/discharging process and sheds light on the importance of the protective layer in the prevention of dead Li in LMBs.

Aqueous manganese metal batteries have emerged as promising candidates for stationary storage due to their natural abundance, safety, and high energy density. However, the high chemical reactivity and sluggish migration kinetics of the Mn metal anode induce a severe hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and dendrite formation, respectively. The situation deteriorates in the low-concentration electrolyte especially. Here, we propose a novel approach to construct an Mn-enriched interfacial layer (Mn@MIL) on the Mn metal anode surface to address these challenges simultaneously. The Mn@MIL acts as a physical barrier to not only suppress HER but also accelerate the Mn 2+ diffusion kinetics through the Mn 2+ saturated interfacial layer to inhibit dendrite growth. Therefore, in the low-concentration electrolyte (1 M MnCl 2 ), the Mn||Mn symmetric cells and Mn||V 2 O 5 full cells with high mass loading demonstrate promising cycling stability with minimal polarization and parasitic reactions, making them more suitable for practical applications in a smart grid.

Lithium (Li) metal is an attractive anode material for use in high-energy lithium-sulfur and lithium-air batteries. However, its practical application is severely impeded by excessive dendrite growth, huge volume changes, and severe side reactions. Herein, a novel Li metal anode composed of lithiophilic two dimensional (2D) conjugated microporous polymer (Li-CMP) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sandwiches (Li-CMP@rGO) for Li metal batteries (LiMBs) is reported. In the Li-CMP@rGO anode, the conductive rGO facilitates the charge transfer while the functionalized-CMP provides Li nucleation sites within the micropores, thereby preventing dendrite growth. As a result, the Li-CMP@rGO anode can be cycled smoothly at 6 mA cm -2 of current density with a platting capacity of 2 mAh cm -2 for 1000 h. A Coulombic efficiency of 98.4% is achieved over 350 cycles with a low overpotential of 28 mV. In a full cell with LiFePO 4 cathode, the Li-CMP@rGO anode also exhibited good cycling stability compared to CMP@rGO and CMP/Super-P. As expected, the simulation results reveal that Li-CMP@rGO has a strong affinity for Li ions compared to CMP@rGO. The strategies adopted in this work can open new avenues for designing hybrid porous host materials for developing safe and stable Li metal anodes., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Zinc metal anodes in aqueous electrolytes commonly face challenges such as dendrite growth and undesirable side reactions, limiting their application in the field of aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) for energy storage. Drawing inspiration from industrial practices involving molybdenum salt solutions for metal modification, a polyoxometalate solution was formulated as a passivation solution for zinc anodes (referred to as MO solution). The formed passivation layer, referred to as the MO layer, exhibited a uniform and protective nature with a thickness of approximately 10 μm. The experimental results demonstrated that this passivation layer effectively suppressed side reactions at the zinc anode interface, as evidenced by lower corrosion current density for MO-Zn anodes. Additionally, the newly plated Zn was uniformly deposited atop the MO layer, ensuring coating integrity and inhibiting dendrite growth. As a result, under more demanding conditions such as a larger current of 8 mA cm -2 , the MO-Zn anode displayed an extended cycle life exceeding 420 h in a symmetric battery, with an overpotential as low as 98 mV. This performance significantly outperformed that of commercially available pure Zn foils (with a cycle life of 60 h and an overpotential of 192 mV). Notably, a self-made Na-doped V 2 O 5 served as the cathode (referred to as NaVO), forming the MO-Zn//NaVO full battery. Even under high current test conditions of 2 A/g, the specific capacity of the MO-Zn//NaVO full battery remained substantial at 152.83 mAh/g after 1000 cycles. Furthermore, pouch batteries assembled with NaVO//MO-Zn successfully illuminated small bulbs. This study offers a viable optimization strategy for AZIB anodes and demonstrates the potential of using polyoxometalate solution for etching zinc anodes to inhibit dendrite growth and interfacial corrosion of zinc metal anodes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The inevitable shuttling and slow redox kinetics of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) as well as the uncontrolled growth of Li dendrites have strongly limited the practical applications of lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs). To address these issues, we have innovatively constructed the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) encapsulated Co nanoparticles in situ grown on TiN-MXene nanosheets, denoted as TiN-MXene-Co@CNTs, which could serve simultaneously as both sulfur/Li host to kill "three birds with one stone" to (1) efficiently capture soluble LiPSs and expedite their redox conversion, (2) accelerate nucleation/decomposition of solid Li 2 S, and (3) induce homogeneous Li deposition. Benefiting from the synergistic effects, the TiN-MXene-Co@CNTs/S cathode with a sulfur loading of 2.5 mg cm -2 could show a high reversible specific capacity of 1129.1 mAh g -1 after 100 cycles at 0.1 C, and ultralong cycle life over 1000 cycles at 1.0 C. More importantly, it even achieves a high areal capacity of 6.3 mAh cm -2 after 50 cycles under a sulfur loading as high as 8.9 mg cm -2 and a low E/S ratio of 5.0 μL mg -1 . Besides, TiN-MXene-Co@CNTs as Li host could deliver a stable Li plating/striping behavior over 1000 h., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Dendrite growth of lithium (Li) metal anodes is considered as one of the most tough issues for Li metal batteries with a theoretically high energy density. This is attributed to the rapid exhaustion of Li ions at the electrode/electrolyte interface, which is even worse at low temperatures with poor diffusion kinetics of Li ions. Here, pulse charge with intermittent rest time during battery charging is proposed to handle the dendrite growth issue of Li metal anodes at low temperatures. The depleted Li ions near the interfaces can be rapidly replenished during the rest time, thus effectively suppressing the dendrites growth. Further investigation found that the large dendrites can be suppressed at the Li ion nucleation stage. The equivalent lifespan considering the rest time is proposed. At -10 °C, the lifespan of Li||Li batteries cycled under 3 mA cm -2 and 1 mAh cm -2 is increased from 24 h to equivalent 64 h. Li||LiNi 0.5 Co 0.2 Mn 0.3 O 2 batteries with 80% capacity retention can be stably operated from 39 cycles to 56 cycles. This design presents an efficient and convenient strategy to regulate the deposition behaviors of Li metal anodes with a dendrite-free morphology., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are widely regarded as desirable energy storage devices due to their inherent safety and low cost. Hydrogel polymer electrolytes (HPEs) are cross-linked polymers filled with water and zinc salts. They are not only widely used in flexible batteries but also represent an ideal electrolyte candidate for addressing the issues associated with the Zn anode, including dendrite formation and side reactions. In HPEs, an abundance of hydrophilic groups can form strong hydrogen bonds with water molecules, reducing water activity and inhibiting water decomposition. At the same time, special Zn 2+ transport channels can be constructed in HPEs to homogenize the Zn 2+ flux and promote uniform Zn deposition. However, HPEs still face issues in practical applications, including poor ionic conductivity, low mechanical strength, poor interface stability, and narrow electrochemical stability windows. This Review discusses the issues associated with HPEs for advanced AZIBs, and the recent progresses are summarized. Finally, the Review outlines the opportunities and challenges for achieving high performance HPEs, facilitating the utilization of HPEs in AZIBs.

Zinc metal is recognized as the most promising anode for aqueous energy storage but suffers from severe dendrite growth and poor reversibility. However, the coulombic efficiency lacks specificity for zinc dendrite growth, particularly in Zn||Zn symmetric cells. Herein, a novel indicator (f D ) based on the characteristic crystallization peaks is proposed to evaluate the growth and distribution of zinc dendrites. As a proof of concept, triethylenetetramine (TETA) is adopted as an electrolyte additive to manipulate the zinc flux for uniform deposition, with a corroborating low f D value. A highly durable zinc symmetric cell is achieved, lasting over 2500 h at 10 mA cm -2 and 400 h at a large discharge of depth (10 mA cm -2 , 10 mAh cm -2 ). Supported by the low f D value, the Zn||TETA-ZnSO 4 ||MnO 2 batteries overcome the sudden short circuit and fast capacity fading. The study provides a feasible method to evaluate zinc dendrites and sheds light on the design of highly reversible zinc anodes., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Zinc metal anodes encounter significant challenges, including dendrite growth, hydrogen evolution, and corrosion, all of which impede the rate capability and longevity of aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs). To effectively tackle these issues, we introduced Tween-80 into the traditional ZnSO 4 electrolyte as an additive. Tween-80 possesses electronegative oxygen atoms that enable it to adsorb onto the zinc (Zn) anode surface, facilitating the directional deposition of Zn metal along the (002) orientation. The hydroxyl and ether groups within Tween-80 can displace some of the coordinated water molecules in the Zn 2+ inner solvation shell. This disruption of the hydrogen bond network regulates the solvation structure of Zn 2+ ions and suppresses the possibility of hydrogen evolution. Moreover, the long hydrocarbon chain present in Tween-80 exhibits excellent hydrophobic properties, aiding in the resistance against corrosion of the Zn anode by water molecules and reducing hydrogen evolution. Consequently, a symmetric cell equipped with the Tween-80 additive can cycle stably for over 4000 h at 1 mA cm -2 and 1 mA h cm -2 . When paired with the V 2 O 5 cathode, the full cell demonstrates a high-capacity retention rate exceeding 80 % over 1000 cycles at a current density of 2 A g -1 . This study underscores the advantages of utilizing non-ionic surfactants for achieving high-performance aqueous zinc-ion batteries., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Electrolyte additive engineering is a crucial method for enhancing the performance of aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs). Recently, most research predominantly focuses on the role of functional groups in regulating electrolytes, often overlooking the impact of molecule stereoscopic configuration. Herein, two isomeric sugar alcohols, mannitol and sorbitol, are employed as electrolyte additives to investigate the impact of the stereoscopic configuration of additives on the ZnSO 4 electrolyte. Experimental analysis and theoretical calculations reveal that the primary factor for improving Zn anode performance is the regulation of the solvation sheath by these additives. Among the isomers, mannitol exhibits stronger binding energies with Zn 2+ ions and water molecules due to its more suitable stereoscopic configuration. These enhanced bindings allow mannitol to coordinate with Zn 2+ , contributing to solvation structure formation and reducing the active H 2 O molecules in the bulk electrolyte, resulting in suppressed parasitic reactions and inhibited dendritic growth. As a result, the zinc electrodes in mannitol-modified electrolyte exhibit excellent cycling stability of 1600 h at 1 mA cm -2 and 900 h at 10 mA cm -2 , respectively. Hence, this study provides novel insights into the importance of suitable stereoscopic molecule configurations in the design of electrolyte additives for highly reversible and high-rate Zn anodes.

Dendrite growth and other side-reaction problems of zinc anodes in aqueous zinc-ion batteries heavily affect their cycling lifespan and Coulombic efficiency, which can be effectively alleviated by the application of polymer-based functional protection layer on the anode. However, the utilization rate of functional groups is difficult to improve without destroying the polymer chain. Here, a simple and well-established strategy is proposed by controlling the orientation of functional groups (─SO 3 H) to assist the optimization of zinc anodes. Depending on the electrostatic effect, the surface-enriched ─SO 3 H groups increase the ionic conductivity and homogenize the Zn 2+ flux while inhibiting anionic permeation. This approach avoids the destruction of the polymer backbone by over-sulfonation and amplifies the effect of functional groups. Therefore, the modified sulfonated polyether ether ketone (H-SPEEK) coating-optimized zinc anode is capable of longtime stable zinc plating/stripping, and moreover an enhanced cycling steadiness under high current densities is also detected in a series of Zn batteries with different cathode materials, which achieved by the inclusion of H-SPEEK coating without causing any harmful effects on the electrolyte and cathode. This work provides an easy and efficient approach to further optimize the plating/stripping of cations on metal electrodes, and sheds lights on the scale-up of high-performance aqueous zinc-ion battery technology., (© 2024 The Authors. Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

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., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Ammonium chloride (NH 4 Cl) has been extensively studied as a transparent analogue for investigating the solidification of metals due to its distinctive properties and the simplicity of the experimentation. Furthermore, NH 4 Cl exhibits a striking resemblance in solidification behavior to the majority of binary eutectic alloy systems, rendering it a valuable model for studying phase transition phenomena. Experiments conducted on ammonium chloride are frequently employed to validate numerical models for predicting grain structures, macrosegregation, and the columnar-to-equiaxed transition (CET). This latter phenomenon arises due to differences in the velocities of columnar dendrite tips and the liquidus isosurface. However, the kinetics of dendrite tip growth, as a function of supersaturation, remains poorly understood for this commonly used alloy. The objective of this study was to utilize the available experimental data in conjunction with Ivantsov correlations to shed light on the ambiguous kinetics. The results indicate that when considering the crystal-melt density ratio, the Ivantsov solution offers a good correlation. Furthermore, incorporating a moderate interfacial kinetic coefficient enhances the correlations further. This correlation can be implemented in numerical models, which will aid in the determination of the columnar front, the columnar-to-equiaxed transition, and the equiaxed growth velocities.

Severe dendrite growth on Zn anodes poses a significant challenge to the development of Zn-based batteries. An effective strategy for inhibiting the formation of Zn dendrites involves electrode modification. In this study, hollow nitrogen-doped carbon spheres (HNCS) are synthesized and used as electrodes to regulate Zn deposition in Zn-based flow batteries. The electrochemical performance of HNCS reveals that the pyrrole nitrogen of HNCS changes the electrode surface state. Therefore, HNCS can inhibit the hydrogen evolution reaction and achieve uniform Zn deposition. HNCS can effectively inhibit dendrite growth and improve the reversibility of the Zn plating/stripping process to regulate the reversibility of Zn-based batteries. The zinc-bromine redox flow battery assembled with HNCS significantly reduces the hydrogen evolution reaction and exhibits a coulombic efficiency of 90 % and energy efficiency of 73 % at a current density of 60 mA cm -2 . Similarly, an alkaline zinc-iron flow battery can maintain high Coulombic efficiency and energy efficiency of 83 %., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

During the establishment of neuronal circuits, axons and dendrites grow and branch to establish specific synaptic connections. This complex process is highly regulated by positive and negative extracellular cues guiding the axons and dendrites. Our group was pioneer in describing that one of these signals are the extracellular purines. We found that extracellular ATP, through its selective ionotropic P2X7 receptor (P2X7R), negatively regulates axonal growth and branching. Here, we evaluate if other purinergic compounds, such as the diadenosine pentaphosphate (Ap 5 A), may module the dynamics of dendritic or axonal growth and branching in cultured hippocampal neurons. Our results show that Ap 5 A negatively modulates the dendrite's growth and number by inducing transient intracellular calcium increases in the dendrites' growth cone. Interestingly, phenol red, commonly used as a pH indicator in culture media, also blocks the P2X1 receptors, avoided the negative modulation of Ap 5 A on dendrites. Subsequent pharmacological studies using a battery of selective P2X1R antagonists confirmed the involvement of this subunit. In agreement with pharmacological studies, P2X1R overexpression caused a similar reduction in dendritic length and number as that induced by Ap 5 A. This effect was reverted when neurons were co-transfected with the vector expressing the interference RNA for P2X1R. Despite small hairpin RNAs reverting the reduction in the number of dendrites caused by Ap 5 A, it did not avoid the dendritic length decrease induced by the polyphosphate, suggesting, therefore, the involvement of a heteromeric P2X receptor. Our results are indicating that Ap 5 A exerts a negative influence on dendritic growth., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The zinc dendrite growth generally relies upon a "positive-feedback" mode, where the fast-grown tips receive higher current densities and ion fluxes. In this study, a self-limiting polyacrylamide (PAM) hydrogel that presents negative feedback to dendrite growth is developed. The monomers are purposefully polymerized at the dendrite tips, then the hydrogel reduces the local current density and ion flux by limiting zinc ion diffusion with abundant functional groups. As a consequence, the accumulation at the dendrite tips is restricted, and the (002) facets-oriented deposition is achieved. Moreover, the refined porous structure of the gel enhances Coulombic Efficiency by reducing water activity. Due to the synergistic effects, the zinc anodes perform an ultralong lifetime of 5100 h at 0.5 mA cm -2 and 1500 h at 5 mA cm -2 , which are among the best records for PAM-based gel electrolytes. Further, the hydrogel significantly prolongs the lifespan of zinc-ion batteries and capacitors by dozens of times. The developed in situ hydrogel presents a feasible and cost-effective way to commercialize zinc anodes and provides inspiration for future research on dendrite suppression using the negative-feedback mechanism., (© 2023 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have gained significant attentions for their inherent safety and cost-effectiveness. However, challenges, such as dendrite growth and anodic corrosion at the Zn anode, hinder their commercial viability. In this paper, an organic-inorganic coating layer (Nafion-TiO 2 ) was introduced to protect the Zn anode and electrolyte interface. Briefly, Nafion effectively shields against the corrosion from water molecules through the hydrophobic wall of -CF 3 and guided zinc deposition from the -SO 3 functional group, while TiO 2 particles with a higher Young's modulus (151 GPa vs 120 GPa from Zn metal) suppress the zinc dendrite formation. As a result, with the protection of Nafion-TiO 2, the symmetrical Zn∥Zn battery shows an improved cycle life of 1,750 h at 0.5 mA cm -2 , and the full cell based on Zn∥MnO 2 shows a long cycle life over 1,500 cycles at 1 A g -1 . Our research offers a novel approach for protecting zinc metal anodes, potentially applicable to other metal anodes such as those in lithium and sodium batteries.

The control of the solidification structure of a casting billet is directly correlated with the quality of steel. Variations in superheat can influence the transition from columnar crystals to equiaxed crystals during the solidification process, subsequently impacting the final solidification structure of the billet. In this study, a model of microstructure evolution during billet solidification was established by combining simulation and experiment, and the dendrite growth microstructure evolution during billet solidification under different superheat was studied. The results show that when the superheat is 60 K, the complete solidification time of the casting billet from the end of the 50 mm section is 252 s, when the superheat is 40 K, the complete solidification time of the casting billet is 250 s, and when the superheat is 20 K, the complete solidification time of the casting billet is 245 s. When the superheat is 20 K, the proportion of the equiaxed crystal region is higher-the highest value is 53.35%-and the average grain radius is 0.84556 mm. The proportion of the equiaxed crystal region decreases with the increase of superheat. When the superheat is 60 K, the proportion of the equiaxed crystal region is the lowest-the lowest value is 46.27%-and the average grain radius is 1.07653 mm. Proper reduction of superheat can obviously reduce the size of equiaxed crystal, expand the area of equiaxed crystal and improve the quality of casting billet.

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have caused significant research attention due to their low redox potential of 0.76 V, high theoretical capacity of 820 mAh g -1 . However, the dendrite growth of zinc anode and the side reactions caused by water seriously affect the cycle life of AZIBs. To solve the above problems, a new method of etching zinc anodes with CuCl 2 salt solution was designed, which the zinc anode was named CZn. The process resulted to a uniformly distributed micro gully morphology on the zinc surface, and providing an increased number of nucleation sites for zinc deposition and reducing local current density. The calculation results of exchange current density and activation energy show that CZn has stronger Zn/Zn 2+ kinetic effect. At a current density of 5 mA cm -2 and an area capacity of 5 mAh cm -2 , cycle life of the CZn symmetrical cell can reach 500 h, which is more than seven times that of the raw Zn symmetrical cell. This work proposes a simple method of zinc anode protection, which provides a new idea for zinc metal anode protection., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Zinc-bromine batteries (ZBBs) have recently gained significant attention as inexpensive and safer alternatives to potentially flammable lithium-ion batteries. Zn metal is relatively stable in aqueous electrolytes, making ZBBs safer and easier to handle. However, Zn metal anodes are still affected by several issues, including dendrite growth, Zn dissolution, and the crossover of Br species from cathodes to corrode anodes, resulting in self-discharge and fast performance fading. Similarly, Br 2 undergoes sluggish redox reactions on cathodes, which brings several issues such as poor reaction kinetics, the highly corrosive nature of Br species leading to corrosion of separators and poisoning of anodes, and the volatile nature of Br species causing increased internal pressures, etc. These issues are compounded in flowless ZBB configuration as no fresh electrolyte is available to provide extra/fresh reaction species. In this review, the factors controlling the performance of ZBBs in flow and flowless configurations are thoroughly reviewed, along with the status of ZBBs in the commercial sector. The review also summarizes various novel methodologies to mitigate these challenges and presents research areas for future studies. In summary, this review will offer a perspective on the historical evolution, recent advancements, and prospects of ZBBs., (© 2023 The Authors. Advanced Science published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Lithium (Li) metal has garnered significant attention as the preferred anode for high-energy lithium metal batteries. However, safety concerns arising from the growth of Li dendrites have hindered the advancement of Li metal batteries. In this study, we first elucidate the impact of external pressure and internal stress on dendrite growth and dissolution behavior of Li metal batteries during continuous charging-discharging cycles, employing a developed electrochemomechanical phase-field model. A typical parameter is defined to calculate the amount of dead Li that affects the electrochemical performance of Li metal batteries during multiple cycles. The underlying mechanisms of dendrites observed from in situ experiments are explained through the developed phase-field model. After charging/discharging, dendrites with a treelike structure yield a greater amount of dead Li compared to those with a needlelike configuration. Increasing the pressure appropriately can effectively reduce the growth points of dendrites and suppress the Li dendrite growth. Excessive pressure not only induces dendritic fractures that lead to the formation of dead Li but also undermines the battery performance. The accumulated internal stress might threaten the structural stability of the Li metal, thereby influencing the evolution of the Li dendrite morphology. A reasonable strategy is proposed to strike a balance between external pressure and the growth and dissolution of Li dendrites. These findings offer valuable insights into the judicious application of pressure to mitigate the advancement of electroplating reactions.

Water-induced parasitic reactions and uncontrolled dendritic Zn growth are long-lasting tricky problems that severely hinder the development of aqueous zinc-metal batteries. Those notorious issues are closely related to electrolyte configuration and zinc-ion transport behavior. Herein, through constructing aligned dipoles induced electric-field on Zn surface, both the solvation structure and transport behavior of zinc-ions are fundamentally changed. The vertically ordered zinc-ion migration trajectory and gradually concentrated zinc-ion achieved inside the polarized electric-field remarkably eliminate water related side-reactions and Zn dendrites. Zn-metal under the polarized electric-field demonstrated significantly improve reversibility and a dendrite-free surface with strong (002) Zn deposition texturing. Zn||Zn symmetric cell delivers greatly prolonged lifespan up to 1400 h (17 times longer than that of the cell based on bare Zn) while the Zn||Cu half-cell demonstrate ultrahigh 99.9% coulombic efficiency. NH 4 V 4 O 10 ||Zn half-cell delivered exceptional-high 132 mAh g -1 capacity after ultralong 2000 cycles (≈100% capacity retention). In addition, MnO 2 ||Zn pouch-cell under aligned dipoles induced electric-field maintains 87.9% capacity retention after 150 cycles under practical condition of high MnO 2 mass loading (≈10 mg cm -2 ) and limited N/P ratio. It is considered that this new strategy can also be implemented to other metallic batteries and spur the development of batteries with long-lifespan and high-energy-density., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Difluoroethylene carbonate (DFEC) featuring abundant fluorine atoms has been proposed as a multifunctional electrolyte additive to boost the stability of the electrolyte-electrode interphase of lithium metal batteries. Thus, introducing the DFEC additive enables a high capacity retention rate of the Li||NCM811 full cell (up to 75% after 200 cycles) at 4.5 V high voltage.

Uncontrolled dendrite growth and water-related side reactions in mild electrolytes are the main causes of poor cycling stability of zinc anodes, resulting in the deterioration of aqueous zinc-based batteries. Herein, a multifunctional fluorapatite (Ca 5 (PO 4 ) 3 F) aerogel (FAG) interface layer is proposed to realize highly stable zinc anodes via the integrated regulation of Zn 2+ migration kinetics and Zn (002) orientation deposition. Owing to the well-defined aerogel nanochannels and the rich Zn 2+ adsorption sites resulting from the ion exchange between Ca 2+ and Zn 2+ , the FAG interface layer could significantly accelerate the Zn 2+ migration and effectively homogenize the Zn 2+ flux and nucleation sites, thus promoting rapid and uniform Zn 2+ migration at the electrode/electrolyte interface. Additionally, during the cycling process, the F atoms from FAG promote the in situ generation of ZnF 2 , which facilitates the manipulation of the preferred Zn (002) orientation deposition, thus efficiently suppressing dendrite growth and side reactions by combining with the above synergistic effects. Consequently, the FAG-modified Zn anode displays a stable cycle life of over 4000 h at 1 mA cm -2 and exhibits highly reversible Zn plating/stripping behavior. Meanwhile, the Zn||MnO 2 full cells exhibit improved cycle stability over 2000 cycles compared with that of the bare Zn, highlighting the virtues of the FAG protective layer for highly reversible Zn anodes. Our work brings the insight in to stabilize Zn anodes and power the commercial applications of aqueous zinc-based batteries.

Hypothesis: Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have received considerable attention owing to their safety, low cost, and environmental benignity. However, the side reactions of hydrogen evolution revolution and Zn dendrite growth reduce the Coulombic efficiency and life span of AZIBs. To address these issues, we designed an artificial protective layer of a Te-hybridized core-shell zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF)., Experiments: A core-shell structure of ZIF-8@ZIF-67 was first developed as a protecting layer on the Zn anode. To improve the poor conductivity of ZIF and its affinity for Zn, the core-shell structure was hybridized with zincophilic Te to increase the surface area and reduce the charge-transfer resistance., Findings: By incorporating metallic Te into ZIF-8 and ZIF-67, the nucleation potential and charge-transfer resistance were significantly reduced, enhancing the ion reaction kinetics and electron migration. Benefiting from the Te-hybridized ZIF-8@ZIF-67-derived nitrogen-doped porous carbon (Te-hybridized ZIF-8@ZIF-67/NC) layer, a full cell of Zn coated with Te-hybridized ZIF-8@ZIF-67/NC//MnO 2 exhibited an excellent rate performance of 214 mAh g -1 at an ultrahigh current density of 10 A g -1 and ultralong cycle life (3200 cycles) without the formation of Zn dendrites., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Zn metal anode suffers from dendrite growth and side reactions during cycling, significantly deteriorating the lifespan of aqueous Zn metal batteries. Herein, we introduced an ultrathin and ultra-flat Sb 2 O 3 molecular crystal layer to stabilize Zn anode. The in situ optical and atomic force microscopes observations show that such a 10 nm Sb 2 O 3 thin layer could ensure uniform under-layer Zn deposition with suppressed tip growth effect, while the traditional WO 3 layer undergoes an uncontrolled up-layer Zn deposition. The superior regulation capability is attributed to the good electronic-blocking ability and low Zn affinity of the molecular crystal layer, free of dangling bonds. Electrochemical tests exhibit Sb 2 O 3 layer can significantly improve the cycle life of Zn anode from 72 h to 2800 h, in contrast to the 900 h of much thicker WO 3 even in 100 nm. This research opens up the application of inorganic molecular crystals as the interfacial layer of Zn anode., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

While the rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have been recognized as one of the most viable batteries for scale-up application, the instability on Zn anode-electrolyte interface bottleneck the further development dramatically. Herein, we utilize the amino acid glycine (Gly) as an electrolyte additive to stabilize the Zn anode-electrolyte interface. The unique interfacial chemistry is facilitated by the synergistic "anchor-capture" effect of polar groups in Gly molecule, manifested by simultaneously coupling the amino to anchor on the surface of Zn anode and the carboxyl to capture Zn 2+ in the local region. As such, this robust anode-electrolyte interface inhibits the disordered migration of Zn 2+ , and effectively suppresses both side reactions and dendrite growth. The reversibility of Zn anode achieves a significant improvement with an average Coulombic efficiency of 99.22% at 1 mA cm -2 and 0.5 mAh cm -2 over 500 cycles. Even at a high Zn utilization rate (depth of discharge, DOD Zn ) of 68%, a steady cycle life up to 200 h is obtained for ultrathin Zn foils (20 μm). The superior rate capability and long-term cycle stability of Zn-MnO 2 full cells further prove the effectiveness of Gly in stabilizing Zn anode. This work sheds light on additive designing from the specific roles of polar groups for AZIBs., (© 2023. Shanghai Jiao Tong University.)

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries have become one of the most promising new-generation energy storage systems owing to their ultrahigh energy density (2600 Wh kg -1 ), cost-effectiveness, and environmental friendliness. Nevertheless, their practical applications are seriously impeded by the shuttle effect of soluble lithium polysulfides (LiPSs), and the uncontrolled dendrite growth of metallic Li, which result in rapid capacity fading and battery safety problems. A systematic and comprehensive review of the cooperative combination effect and tackling the fundamental problems in terms of cathode and anode synchronously is still lacking. Herein, for the first time, the strategies for inhibiting shuttle behavior and dendrite-free Li-S batteries simultaneously are summarized and classified into three parts, including "two-in-one" S-cathode and Li-anode host materials toward Li-S full cell, "two birds with one stone" modified functional separators, and tailoring electrolyte for stabilizing sulfur and lithium electrodes. This review also emphasizes the fundamental Li-S chemistry mechanism and catalyst principles for improving electrochemical performance; advanced characterization technologies to monitor real-time LiPS evolution are also discussed in detail. The problems, perspectives, and challenges with respect to inhibiting the shuttle effect and dendrite growth issues as well as the practical application of Li-S batteries are also proposed., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Interfacial instability, viz., pore formation in the lithium metal anode (LMA) during discharge leading to high impedance, current focusing induced solid-electrolyte (SE) fracture during charging, and formation/behaviour of the solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI), at the anode, is one of the major hurdles in the development of solid-state batteries (SSBs). Also, understanding cell polarization behaviour at high current density is critical to achieving the goal of fast-charging battery and electric vehicle. Herein, via in situ electrochemical scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements, performed with freshly deposited lithium microelectrodes on transgranularly fractured fresh Li6PS5Cl (LPSCl), the LiǀLPSCl interface kinetics are investigated beyond the linear regime. Even at relatively small overvoltages of a few mV, the LiǀLPSCl interface shows non-linear kinetics. The interface kinetics possibly involve multiple rate-limiting processes, i.e., ion transport across the SEI and SE|SEI interfaces, as well as charge transfer across the LiǀSEI interface. The total polarization resistance R P of the microelectrode interface is determined to be ≈ 0.8 Ω cm 2 . It is further shown that the nanocrystalline lithium microstructure can lead to a stable LiǀSE interface via Coble creep along with uniform stripping. Also, spatially resolved lithium deposition, i.e., at grain surface flaws, grain boundaries, and flaw-free surfaces, indicates exceptionally high mechanical endurance of flaw-free surfaces toward cathodic load (>150 mA cm -2 ). This highlights the prominent role of surface defects in dendrite growth., (© 2023 The Authors. Advanced Science published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

In aqueous zinc (Zn) batteries, the Zn anode suffers from severe corrosion reactions and consequent dendrite growth troubles that cause fast performance decay. Herein, we uncover the corrosion mechanism and confirm that the dissolved oxygen (DO) other than the reputed proton is a principal origin of Zn corrosion and by-product precipitates, especially during the initial battery resting period. In a break from common physical deoxygenation methods, we propose a chemical self-deoxygenation strategy to tackle the DO-induced hazards. As a proof of concept, sodium anthraquinone-2-sulfonate (AQS) is introduced to aqueous electrolytes as a self-deoxidizing additive. As a result, the Zn anode sustains a long-term cycling of 2500 h at 0.5 mA cm -2 and over 1100 h at 5 mA cm -2 together with a high Coulombic efficiency up to 99.6 %. The full cells also show a high capacity retention of 92 % after 500 cycles. Our findings provide a renewed understanding of Zn corrosion in aqueous electrolytes and also a practical solution towards industrializing aqueous Zn batteries., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Although promising, the practical use of zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) remains plagued with uncontrollable dendrite growth, parasitic side reactions, and the high intercalation energy of divalent Zn 2+ ions. Hence, much work has been conducted to alleviate these issues to maximize the energy density and cyclic life of the cell. In this holistic review, the mechanisms and rationale for the stated challenges shall be summarized, followed by the corresponding strategies employed to mitigate them. Thereafter, a perspective on present research and the outlook of ZIBs would be put forth in hopes to enhance their electrochemical properties in a multipronged approach., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) are promising electrochemical energy storage devices due to their high theoretical specific capacity, low cost, and environmental friendliness. However, uncontrolled dendrite growth poses a serious threat to the reversibility of Zn plating/stripping, which impacts the stability of batteries. Therefore, controlling the disordered dendrite growth remains a considerable challenge in the development of AZIBs. Herein, a ZIF-8-derived ZnO/C/N composite (ZOCC) interface layer was constructed on the surface of the Zn anode. The homogeneous distribution of zincophilic ZnO and the N element in the ZOCC facilitates directional Zn deposition on the (002) crystal plane. Moreover, the conductive skeleton with a microporous structure accelerates Zn 2+ transport kinetics, resulting in a reduction in polarization. As a result, the stability and electrochemical properties of AZIBs are improved. Specifically, the ZOCC@Zn symmetric cell sustains over 1150 h at 0.5 mA cm -2 with 0.25 mA h cm -2 , while the ZOCC@Zn half-cell achieves an outstanding Coulombic efficiency of 99.79% over 2000 cycles. This work provides a simple and effective strategy for improving the lifespan of AZIBs.

The effect of ultrasonic vibration on the fluidity and microstructure of cast aluminum alloys (AlSi9 and AlSi18 alloys) with different solidification characteristics was investigated. The results show that ultrasonic vibration can affect the fluidity of alloys in both solidification and hydrodynamics aspects. For AlSi18 alloy without dendrite growing solidification characteristics, the microstructure is almost not influenced by ultrasonic vibration, and the influence of ultrasonic vibration on its fluidity is mainly in hydrodynamics aspects. That is, appropriate ultrasonic vibration can improve fluidity by reducing the flow resistance of the melt, but when the vibration intensity is high enough to induce turbulence in the melt, the turbulence will increase the flow resistance greatly and decrease fluidity. However, for AlSi9 alloy, which obviously has dendrite growing solidification characteristics, ultrasonic vibration can influence solidification by breaking the growing α (Al) dendrite, consequently refining the solidification microstructure. Ultrasonic vibration could then improve the fluidity of AlSi9 alloy not only from the hydrodynamics aspect but also by breaking the dendrite network in the mushy zone to decrease flow resistance.

Unlike many cell types, neurons are not typically replaced if damaged. Therefore, regeneration of damaged cellular domains is critical for maintenance of neuronal function. While axon regeneration has been documented for several hundred years, it has only recently become possible to determine whether neurons respond to dendrite removal with regeneration. Regrowth of dendrite arbors has been documented in invertebrate and vertebrate model systems, but whether it leads to functional restoration of a circuit remains unknown. To test whether dendrite regeneration restores function, we used larval Drosophila nociceptive neurons. Their dendrites detect noxious stimuli to initiate escape behavior. Previous studies of Drosophila sensory neurons have shown that dendrites of single neurons regrow after laser severing. We removed dendrites from 16 neurons per animal to clear most of the dorsal surface of nociceptive innervation. As expected, this reduced aversive responses to noxious touch. Surprisingly, behavior was completely restored 24 ​h after injury, at the stage when dendrite regeneration has begun, but the new arbor has only covered a small portion of its former territory. This behavioral recovery required regenerative outgrowth as it was eliminated in a genetic background in which new growth is blocked. We conclude that dendrite regeneration can restore behavior., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries are considered as an ideal substitute for lithium-ion batteries due to their abundant resource storage, high safety, and low price. However, zinc anodes exhibit poor reversibility and cyclic stability in most conventional aqueous electrolytes. Herein, an environmentally friendly Zn(CH 3 SO 3 ) 2 electrolyte is proposed to solve the problems of common aqueous electrolytes. The bulky CH 3 SO 3 - anions can regulate the solvation structure of Zn 2+ by replacing some water molecules in the primary solvation sheath of Zn 2+ , thus slowing the hydrogen evolution side reactions and formation of zinc dendrite. Additionally, the changing solvation structure weakens the bonding between Zn 2+ and the surrounding water molecules, which is conducive to the transport and charge transfer of Zn 2+ , thus improving the battery capacity. In the Zn(CH 3 SO 3 ) 2 electrolyte, Zn plating/stripping exhibits a high Coulombic efficiency of >98% and long-term cyclic stability over 800 h. The specific capacity of the assembled Zn//V 2 O 5 cell in 3 mol L -1 Zn(CH 3 SO 3 ) 2 reaches 350 mA h g -1 at 0.1 A g -1 , much higher than that in the ZnSO 4 electrolyte (213 mA h g -1 ). In conclusion, this work offers insights into the exploration of advanced green electrolyte systems for zinc-ion batteries.

Zinc-based energy storage has lately gained popularity due to natural abundance, operational safety, high energy density. Unfortunately, dendrite growth is a common and intractable issue faced in existing zinc-ion batteries to shorten cycle lifespan/stability. This review summarizes recent progress in assembly component (e. g., anode, electrolyte, separator) engineering for dendrite-free zinc-ion batteries. First, diversiform strategies of Zn surface modification and Zn host design are presented to shield the fundamental adverse effect aroused by uneven zinc deposition on the anode. Then, subtle deployments of electrolyte constituents are illustrated to optimize the Zn 2+ solvation structure for ultimate dendrite control and Coulombic efficiency elevation in aqueous systems and beyond (e. g., eutectic electrolytes). Furthermore, rational manipulation of advanced separators and the upgrade of zinc metal-free Zn 2+ -storage devices are briefly discussed to explore the dendrite-free and high-level Zn 2+ -storage. Finally, challenges and perspectives are proposed to offer research inspirations toward safe, high-efficiency and long-lifespan zinc storage., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Liquid cell transmission electron microscopy has become a powerful and increasingly accessible technique for in situ studies of nanoscale processes in liquid and solution phase. Exploring reaction mechanisms in electrochemical or crystal growth processes requires precise control over experimental conditions, with temperature being one of the most critical factors. Here we carry out a series of crystal growth experiments and simulations at different temperatures in the well-studied system of Ag nanocrystal growth driven by the changes in redox environment caused by the electron beam. Liquid cell experiments show strong changes in both morphology and growth rate with temperature. We develop a kinetic model to predict the temperature-dependent solution composition, and we discuss how the combined effect of temperature-dependent chemistry, diffusion, and the balance between nucleation and growth rates affect the morphology. We discuss how this work may provide guidance in interpreting liquid cell TEM and potentially larger-scale synthesis experiments for systems controlled by temperature.

Lithium-sulfur chemistry has greatly expanded the boundaries of lithium batteries, but the persistent parasitic reaction of soluble sulfur intermediates with lithium anode remains a primary challenge. Understanding and regulating the solvation structures of lithium ions (Li + ) and polysulfides (LiPSs) are critical to addressing the above issues. Herein, inspired by the natural superhydrophilic resistance to contamination, we developed a zwitterionic nanoparticles (ZWP) separator capable of modulating the solvated of Li + and LiPSs. The dense solvated layer induced by ZWP effectively prevents the movement of LiPSs without compromising Li + transport. Moreover, the high electrolyte affinity of the ZWP effectively results in minimizing the deposition of LiPSs on the separator. Furthermore, the structure of the solvated Li + and LiPSs is also unveiled by molecular simulation and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). In addition, in situ UV setup proved the ZWP separator can effectively suppress the shuttle of LiPSs. The restricted space formed by the tightly packed ZWP stabilizes the lithium deposition and regulates dendrite growth. Consequently, the performance of lithium-sulfur batteries is significantly improved and good cycle stability is maintained even at high sulfur loadings (5 mg cm -2 ). This contribution provides a new insight into the rational design of lithium-sulfur battery separators.

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries hold attractive potential for large-scale energy storage devices owing to their prominent electrochemical performance and high security. Nevertheless, the applications of aqueous electrolytes have generated various challenges, including uncontrolled dendrite growth and parasitic reactions, thereby deteriorating the Zn anode's stability. Herein, inspired by the superior affinity between Zn 2+ and amino acid chains in the zinc finger protein, a cost-effective and green glycine additive is incorporated into aqueous electrolytes to stabilize the Zn anode. As confirmed by experimental characterizations and theoretical calculations, the glycine additives can not only reorganize the solvation sheaths of hydrated Zn 2+ via partial substitution of coordinated H 2 O but also preferentially adsorb onto the Zn anode, thereby significantly restraining dendrite growth and interfacial side reactions. Accordingly, the Zn anode could realize a long lifespan of over 2000 h and enhanced reversibility (98.8%) in the glycine-containing electrolyte. Furthermore, the assembled Zn||α-MnO 2 full cells with glycine-modified electrolyte also delivers substantial capacity retention (82.3% after 1000 cycles at 2 A g -1 ), showing promising application prospects. This innovative bio-inspired design concept would inject new vitality into the development of aqueous electrolytes., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries have drawn increasing attention due to the intrinsic safety, cost-effectiveness and high energy density. However, parasitic reactions and non-uniform dendrite growth on the Zn anode side impede their application. Herein, a multifunctional additive, ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (NHP), is introduced to regulate uniform zinc deposition and to suppress side reactions. The results show that the NH 4 + tends to be preferably absorbed on the Zn surface to form a "shielding effect" and blocks the direct contact of water with Zn. Moreover, NH 4 + and (H 2 PO 4 ) - jointly maintain pH values of the electrode-electrolyte interface. Consequently, the NHP additive enables highly reversible Zn plating/stripping behaviors in Zn//Zn and Zn//Cu cells. Furthermore, the electrochemical performances of Zn//MnO 2 full cells and Zn//active carbon (AC) capacitors are improved. This work provides an efficient and general strategy for modifying Zn plating/stripping behaviors and suppressing side reactions in mild aqueous electrolyte., (© 2022 The Authors. Angewandte Chemie International Edition published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Aqueous Zn batteries (AZBs) are a promising energy storage technology, due to their high theoretical capacity, low redox potential, and safety. However, dendrite growth and parasitic reactions occurring at the surface of metallic Zn result in severe instability. Here we report a new method to achieve ultrafine Zn nanograin anodes by using ethylene glycol monomethyl ether (EGME) molecules to manipulate zinc nucleation and growth processes. It is demonstrated that EGME complexes with Zn 2+ to moderately increase the driving force for nucleation, as well as adsorbs on the Zn surface to prevent H-corrosion and dendritic protuberances by refining the grains. As a result, the nanoscale anode delivers high Coulombic efficiency (ca. 99.5%), long-term cycle life (over 366 days and 8800 cycles), and outstanding compatibility with state-of-the-art cathodes (ZnVO and AC) in full cells. This work offers a new route for interfacial engineering in aqueous metal-ion batteries, with significant implications for the commercial future of AZBs.

Developing a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based polymer electrolyte with high ionic conductivity and robust mechanical property is beneficial for real applications of all-solid-state lithium metal batteries (ASSLMBs). Herein, an excellent organic/inorganic interface compatibility of all-solid-state composite polymer electrolytes (CPEs) is achieved using a novel imidazolium-type poly(ionic liquid) with strong electrostatic interactions, providing insights into the achievement of highly stable CPEs. The key properties such as micromorphologies, thermal behavior, crystallinity, t Li + , mechanical property, lithium anode surficial morphology, and electrochemical performance are systematically investigated. The combined experimental and density functional theory (DFT) simulation results exhibit that the strong electrostatic interaction and ion-dipole interaction cooperated to improve the compatibility of the CPE, with a high ionic conductivity of 1.46 × 10 -4 S cm -1 at 40 °C and an incredible mechanical strain of 2000% for dendrite-free and highly stable all-solid-state LMBs. This work affords a promising strategy to accelerate the development of PEO-based polymer electrolytes for real applications in ASSLMBs.

Enabling highly stable alkali metal anodes in gas atmospheres, such as oxygen and carbon dioxide, is critical for the implementation of emerging metal-gas batteries with high energy density and improved safety. Herein, we demonstrate a three-salt electrolyte system to tackle the problems of gas crossover and uncontrolled metallic dendrite growth for all-climate sodium-gas batteries by the formation of an electrochemically/chemically stable solid electrolyte interphase that is rich in fluoride and sulfate compounds. Consequently, the sodium metal anodes present high reversible capacity (10 mAh cm -2 at 1.5 mA cm -2 ) and long cycle life (2000 h) in gas atmospheres across a wide operating temperature range. Using the three-salt electrolyte, all-climate sodium-oxygen and sodium-carbon dioxide batteries are demonstrated with a reversible capacity of 1000 mAh g -1 over 100 cycles at ambient temperature and good adaptability to temperatures from -60 to 60 °C.

Rechargeable multivalent metal (e.g., zinc (Zn) and aluminum (Al)) batteries are ideal choices for large-scale energy storage owing to their intrinsic low cost and safety. However, the poor compatibility between metallic anodes and electrolytes strongly hampers their practical applications. Herein, it is demonstrated that confining multivalent metals in a biomimetic scaffold (Bio-scaffold) can achieve highly efficient multivalent metal plating/stripping. This Bio-scaffold is well-tailored through the synergy of a parallel-aligned array of fractal copper branches and a CaTiO 3 (CTO)-based coating layer. By virtue of this design strategy, the as-developed Bio-scaffold-based Zn- and Al-metal anodes exhibited dendrite-free morphologies with high reversibility and long lifespan, as well as excellent performance for Zn and Al full batteries. Theoretical modeling and experimental investigations reveal that the fractal copper array not only facilitates multivalent ion diffusion and electrolyte wetting but also effectively reduces the local current densities during cycling; Meanwhile, the CTO-based coating layer effectively blocks interfacial side reactions and enables a homogeneous ionic flux. This work opens a new avenue for developing multivalent metal batteries., (© 2022 The Authors. Advanced Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The centrosome lacks microtubule (MT)-nucleation activity in differentiated neurons. We have previously demonstrated that MTs were nucleated at the cytoplasm of mouse neurons. They are supposed to serve seeds for MTs required for dendrite growth. However, the factors that activate the cytoplasmic γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC) are unknown. Here we report an alternative splicing isoform of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 regulatory subunit-associated protein 2 (CKD5RAP2) as a candidate for the cytoplasmic γTuRC activator. This isoform lacked exon 17 and was expressed predominantly in the brain and testis. The expression was transient during the development of cortical neurons, which period coincided with the period we reported cytoplasmic MT nucleation. This isoform resulted in a frameshift and generated truncated protein without a centrosomal localization signal. When this isoform was expressed in cells, it localized diffusely in the cytoplasm. It was co-immunoprecipitated with γ-tubulin and MOZART2, suggesting that it can activate cytosolic γTuRCs. After cold-nocodazole depolymerization of MTs and subsequent washout, we observed numerous short MTs in the cytoplasm of cells transfected with the cDNA of this isoform. The isoform-overexpressing cells exhibited an increased amount of MTs and a decreased ratio of acetylated tubulin, suggesting that MT generation and turnover were enhanced by the isoform. Our data suggest the possibility that alternative splicing of CDK5RAP2 induces cytoplasmic nucleation of MTs in developing neurons., Competing Interests: The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and publication of this article., (© 2022 The Authors.)

Severe challenges are restraining the practical application of solid-state batteries, such as the dendrite growth and unsatisfactory compatibility between solid electrolyte and electrode. Here, we propose an interface dynamic control (IDC) strategy to ensure the stable operation of NASICON-based solid-state sodium batteries. First, we introduce intergranular phase (CuO) to effectively promote the densification of Na 3 Zr 2 Si 2 PO 12 with an optimized ionic conductivity of 1.74 × 10 -3 S cm -1 at 25 °C. Moreover, the kinetically formed Na-Cu-O interlayer reveals outstanding conductive capability. The dramatically reduced interfacial area-specific resistance (70 ohm cm -2 ) boosts the resistance to Na dendrite growth, ensuring the excellent cycling stability of symmetric Na cells at a current density of 0.4 mA cm -2 and room temperature. All-solid-state sodium metal batteries with Na 3 V 1.5 Cr 0.5 (PO 4 ) 3 cathode and modified Na 3 Zr 2 Si 2 PO 12 ceramic electrolyte reveal a high retention of 87.4% at 100 mA g -1 over 300 cycles. This work opens up a new route for the rational interface design of NASICON-structure solid electrolyte toward the application in the high energy-density and high safety electrochemical energy storage devices.

Changing the solvation sheath of hydrated Zn ions is an effective strategy to stabilize Zn anodes to obtain a practical aqueous Zn-ion battery. However, key points related to the rational design remain unclear including how the properties of the solvent molecules intrinsically regulate the solvated structure of the Zn ions. This study proposes the use of a stability constant (K), namely, the equilibrium constant of the complexation reaction, as a universal standard to make an accurate selection of ligands in the electrolyte to improve the anode stability. It is found that K greatly impacts the corrosion current density and nucleation overpotential. Following this, ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid with a superhigh K effectively suppresses Zn corrosion and induces uniform Zn-ion deposition. As a result, the anode has an excellent stability of over 3000 h. This work presents a general principle to stabilize anodes by regulating the solvation chemistry, guiding the development of novel electrolytes for sustainable aqueous batteries., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

With the development of consumer electronic devices and electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are vital components for high energy storage with great impact on our modern life. However, LIBs still cannot meet all the essential demands of rapidly growing new industries. In pursuance of higher energy requirement, metal batteries (MBs) are the next-generation high-energy-density devices. Li/Na metals are considered as an ideal anode for high-energy batteries due to extremely high theoretical specific capacity (3860 and 1165 mAh g -1 for Li and Na, respectively) and low electrochemical potential (-3.04 V for Li and -2.71 V for Na vs. standard hydrogen electrode). Unfortunately, uncontrolled dendrite growth, high reactivity, and infinite volume change induce severe safety concerns and poor cycle efficiency during their application. Consequently, MBs are far from commercialization stage. This Review represents a comprehensive overview of failure mechanism of lithium/sodium metal anode and its progress for rechargeable batteries through (i) electrolyte optimization, (ii) artificial solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer formation, and (iii) nanoengineering at materials level in current collector, anode, and host. The challenges in current MBs research and potential applications of lithium/sodium metal anodes are also outlined and summarized., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The quiescent electrolyte causes serious concentration polarization and dendrite problems during the charging and discharging of the battery, which restricts the development of metal secondary batteries and flow batteries. Herein, we report a new concept of ion motors, with which the directional driving and uniformity of the electrolyte are realized to eliminate the concentration polarization and dendritic phenomenon for secondary metal batteries and flow batteries without additional external energy. In this study, a dendrite-free secondary metal battery with ion motors is constructed to eliminate a considerable concentration polarization voltage by a tiny induced counter electromotive force generated by Lorentz force, significantly improving the output power and energy efficiency of the battery. An actual pump-free flow battery with an ion motor is also assembled, which overcomes the problems of low energy efficiency and the complex structure caused by the traditional flow battery requiring 1-2 pumps to drive the electrolyte. The efficiency of ion motors to drive the electrolyte is hundreds of times higher than that of the mechanical pump. Therefore, the ion motor provides a universal strategy for designing more pump-free flow batteries and metal secondary batteries without the risk of dendrites in the future.

This review focuses on the Na wetting challenges and relevant strategies regarding stabilizing sodium-metal anodes in sodium-metal batteries (SMBs). The Na anode is the essential component of three key energy storage systems, including molten SMBs (i.e., intermediate-temperature Na-S and ZEBRA batteries), all-solid-state SMBs, and conventional SMBs using liquid electrolytes. We begin with a general description of issues encountered by different SMB systems and point out the common challenge in Na wetting. We detail the emerging strategies of improving Na wettability and stabilizing Na metal anodes for the three types of batteries, with the emphasis on discussing various types of tactics developed for SMBs using liquid electrolytes. We conclude with a discussion of the overlooked yet critical aspects (Na metal utilization, N/P ratio, critical current density, etc.) in the existing strategies for an individual battery system and propose promising areas (anolyte incorporation and catholyte modifications for lower-temperature molten SMBs, cell evaluation under practically relevant current density and areal capacity, etc.) that we believe to be the most urgent for further pursuit. Comprehensive investigations combining complementary post-mortem, in situ, and operando analyses to elucidate cell-level structure-performance relations are advocated.