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Aqueous rechargeable zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) are regarded as a promising candidates for next-generation energy storage devices but strongly hindered by the limited utilization of the zinc metal anode (below 5%) due to the active water/anion corrosion. Herein, an ion selective and water-resistant cellulose nanofiber (CNF)/MXene composite membrane has been developed through molecular sieving to restrict active water and anions from the electrode/electrolyte interface through dehydration of zinc ions, avoiding the water/anion-induced corrosion/decomposition. In this way, the CNF/MXene@Zn anode exhibits significantly enhanced coulombic efficiency (99.5 % at 10 mA cm(-2)) and low voltage hysteresis. Moreover, coated with CNF/MXene composite membrane, zinc symmetric batteries can be operated at the extremely high current of 100 mA cm(-2) and ultra-high Zn utilization of 88.2% to achieve record-high cumulative plating capacity of 12 Ah cm(-2). Furthermore, the full vanadium dioxide (VO2) |CNF/MXene@Zn batteries exhibit a high capacity of 357 mAh g(-1) at 2 A g(-1) and retain 93.3% of the capacity after 500 cycles. Moreover, at negative/ positive capacity (N/P) ratio of 2.8, the CNF/MXene membrane coated zinc is able to stably cycle for 100 cycles, demonstrating the potential for high energy zinc battery. This designed CNF/MXene membrane enables ZIBs as viable energy storage devices for practical applications.

The applications of alloying/dealloying materials as anode for LIB electrode are hindered by its dramatic volume variations and sluggish kinetics. Herein, to overcome these challenges, we report a facile and scalable approach fabricating coral-like SnO2/C composite electrodes through a top-down strategy followed by a sol–gel carbon-coating method. During the synthesis, well-defined SnS2 nanoflowers and dopamine serve as structural template and carbon source for integrating the desired structure. The three-dimensional coral-like SnO2/C composite exhibits a high reversible capacity of 648 mAh g−1 after 50 electrochemical cycles and a low capacity fading of 0.778 % per cycle from the 2nd to the 50th cycle, demonstrating an outstanding cycling stability. It also shows a discharge capacity of 1294, 784, 658, 532, and 434 mAh g−1 at a specific current of 100, 200, 500, 1000 and 2000 mAh g−1, respectively, and retains a specific capacity of 719 mAh g−1 when the specific current goes back to 100 mA g−1, displaying an excellent rate capability. Compared to SnS2 nanoflowers and bare interconnected SnO2 nanoparticles anode, the optimized coral-like SnO2/C composite shows significantly improved electrochemical performances in terms of rate capability and cycling reversibility, demonstrating great potential as superior anodes in next-generation lithium ion batteries.

SnO2 suffers from fast capacity fading in lithium-ion batteries due to large volume expansion as well as unstable solid electrolyte interphase. Herein, the design and synthesis of phosphorus bridging SnO2 and graphene through covalent bonding are demonstrated to achieve a robust structure. In this unique structure, the phosphorus is able to covalently “bridge” graphene and tin oxide nanocrystal through PC and SnOP bonding, respectively, and act as a buffer layer to keep the structure stable during charging–discharging. As a result, when applied as a lithium battery anode, SnO2@P@GO shows very stable performance and retains 95% of 2nd capacity onward after 700 cycles. Such unique structural design opens up new avenues for the rational design of other high-capacity materials for lithium battery, and as a proof-of-concept, creates new opportunities in the synthesis of advanced functional materials for high-performance energy storage devices.

High energy lithium ion battery based on multi-electron redox reaction is often accompanied by inherent large volume expansions, sluggish kinetics, and unstable solid electrolyte interphase layer, leading to capacity failure. Here, thermal induced strain relaxation is proposed to realize the solid electrolyte interphase control. It is demonstrated that through thermal treatment, lattice strain is well released and defect density is well reduced, facilitating the charge transfer, improving the interparticle contacts and the contacts at the interface of electrode to withstand the huge volume expansion/contraction during cycling. In this way, the as-prepared α-Fe2O3 electrode at 800 °C with no protective shell shows an outstanding reversible capacity of 1200 mA h g−1 at 100 mA g−1 and an excellent high-rate cyclability with a capacity fading of 0.056% per cycle for 1200 cycles at 5 A g−1. It is expected that such findings facilitate the applications of high capacity anode and cathode material systems that undergo large volume expansion.

Graphene oxide‐wrapped amorphous copper vanadium oxide is fabricated through a template‐engaged redox reaction followed by vacuum dehydration. This material exhibits high reversible capacity, excellent rate capability, and out standing high‐rate cyclability. The outstanding performance is attributed to the fast capacitive charge storage and the in situ formed copper with enhanced electrical conductivity.