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The development of high‐performance sodium ion batteries (SIBs) is heavily relied on the exploration of the appropriate electrode material for Na+ storage, which ought to feature merits of high capacity, easy‐to‐handle synthesis, high conductivity, expedite mass transportation, and stable structure upon charging–discharging cycle. Herein, a universal source‐template method is reported to synthesize a variety of transition metal (e.g., V, Sb, W, Zn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu) selenides implanting on N doped 3D carbon nanoarchitecture hybrids (MmSen@3D‐CN) with powerful SeC bonding rivet. Benefiting from the superior architecture and potent SeC bonding between Cu2−xSe and N‐doped 3D carbon (3D‐CN), the Cu2−xSe@3D‐CN nanohybrids, as anode of SIBs, show high capacity, high‐rate capability, and long‐cycle durability, which can deliver a reversible capacity of as high as 386 mAh g−1, retain 219 mAh g−1 even at 10 A g−1, and run durably over thousands of charging–discharging cycles. The Cu2−xSe@3D‐CN as anode is also evaluated by developing a full SIB by coupling with the Na3V2(PO4)3 cathode, which can deliver high energy density and show excellent stability, shedding light on its potential in practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc‐based batteries with high energy density are highly sought after to satisfy the increasing demands on the electrochemical energy device thanks to the advantages of high safety, low cost, and fast kinetics. In this work, a high‐performance hybrid Zn–S battery (h‐ZnSB) is reported by coupling an alkali Zn anode with an acidic sulfur electrode. To this end, atomic Zn–N4 dispersed on nitrogen‐doped hollow porous carbon (Zn–NHPC) is developed as the host of sulfur that enhances efficiency due to the higher affinity of Zn–N4 to CuS than N‐doped graphene, which can reduce the vulcanization reaction barrier that is too high on N‐doped graphene. The hybrid Zn–S battery shows desired electrochemical properties, including a high open‐circuit voltage of 1.81 V, high specific capacities of 2250 mAh g−1 at 1 A g−1 and 1500 mAh g−1 at 10 A g−1, as well as a high energy density of 2372 Wh kg−1 at 10 A g−1 based on the total mass of S/C composites. The present work may provide a promising route for the development of high‐energy and high‐safety aqueous batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), thanks to their adjustable porous structure and abundant build‐in functional motifs, have been recently regarded as promising electrode materials for a variety of batteries. There still remain grand opportunities to further utilizing their merits for developing advanced COFs‐based batteries. In this paper, we propose a hybrid acid/alkali all‐COFs battery by coupling pyrene‐4,5,9,10‐tetraone based COF cathode with anthraquinone based COF anode. In such a hybrid acid/alkali all‐COFs battery, the cathodic COF favorably works in acid with a relatively positive potential, while the anodic COF preferably runs in alkali with a relatively negative potential. It thus can deliver a decently high discharge capacity of 92.97 mAh g−1 with a wide voltage window of 2.0 V, and exhibit high energy density of 74.2 Wh kg−1 along with a considerable cyclic stability over 300 cycles. The development of the proof‐of‐concept all‐COFs battery may drive forward the improvement of newly cost‐effective and performance‐reliable energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: We developed an efficient and extensible strategy to produce the single-phase ternary NbSSe nanohybrids with defect-enrich microstructure. The anionic-Se doping play a key role in effectively modulating the electronic structure and surface chemistry of NbS2 phase, including the increased interlayers distance (0.65 nm), the enhanced intrinsic electrical conductivity (3.23 × 103 S m-1) and extra electroactive defect sites. The NbSSe/NC composite as anode exhibits rapid Na+ diffusion kinetics and increased capacitance behavior for Na+ storage, resulting in high reversible capacity and excellent cycling stability. Sodium-based dual-ion batteries (SDIBs) have gained tremendous attention due to their virtues of high operating voltage and low cost, yet it remains a tough challenge for the development of ideal anode material of SDIBs featuring with high kinetics and long durability. Herein, we report the design and fabrication of N-doped carbon film-modified niobium sulfur–selenium (NbSSe/NC) nanosheets architecture, which holds favorable merits for Na+ storage of enlarged interlayer space, improved electrical conductivity, as well as enhanced reaction reversibility, endowing it with high capacity, high-rate capability and high cycling stability. The combined electrochemical studies with density functional theory calculation reveal that the enriched defects in such nanosheets architecture can benefit for facilitating charge transfer and Na+ adsorption to speed the electrochemical kinetics. The NbSSe/NC composites are studied as the anode of a full SDIBs by pairing the expanded graphite as cathode, which shows an impressively cyclic durability with negligible capacity attenuation over 1000 cycles at 0.5 A g−1, as well as an outstanding energy density of 230.6 Wh kg−1 based on the total mass of anode and cathode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zn ion energy storage devices have received widespread attention because of their high safety, environmental friendliness, low cost, and high energy density. However, Zn metal anodes usually suffer from disadvantages such as dendrite growth, low coulombic efficiency, and volume expansion during plating/stripping, which severely hampers the practical applications. Here, we construct 3D Zn frameworks by exploring different conductive hosts and modify 3D hosts by plating Sn to suppress Zn dendrites and side reactions. The electrode which optimized by electroplating Zn after chemically plating Sn on Cu foam (Sn−Cu foam@Zn) exhibits stable polarization voltage distribution and almost 100% coulombic efficiency over 200 cycles of Zn plating/stripping. Furthermore, when pairing with V2O5 cathode, the full cell showed fast reaction kinetics and a capacity of 113 mAh g−1 after 1000 cycles at a current density of 1 A g−1, which is 90.4% of the initial capacity. This work provides a new strategy for the development of high‐performance Zn anodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous Zn‐based batteries hold multiple advantages of eco‐friendliness, easy accessibility, high safety, easy fabrication, and fast kinetics, while their widespread applications have been greatly limited by the relatively narrow thermodynamically stable potential windows (i. e. 1.23 V) of water and the mismatched pH conditions between cathode and anode, which presents challenges regarding how to maximize the output voltage and the energy density. Recently, aqueous OH−/H+ dual‐ion Zn‐based batteries (OH−/H+‐DIZBs), where the Zn anode reacts with hydroxide ions (OH−) in alkaline electrolyte while hydrogen ions (H+) are involved in the cathode reaction in the acidic electrolyte, have been reported to be capable of broadening the working voltage and improving the energy density, which offers practical feasibility toward overcoming the above limitations. This Review thus takes this chance to investigate the recent progress on aqueous OH−/H+‐DIZBs. First, the concept and the history of such OH−/H+‐DIZBs are introduced, and then special emphasis is put on the working mechanisms, the progress of the development of new batteries, and how the electrolytes improve their performance. Finally, the challenges and opportunities in this field are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium‐tellurium (Na‐Te) battery, thanks to high theoretical capacity and abundant sodium source, has been envisaged as one promising battery technology, its practical application yet faces daunting challenges regarding how to mitigate the critical issues of uncontrollable dendrites growth at Na anode and polytellurides shuttling effect at Te cathode. We here report an elaborative design for fabrication of microsphere skeleton nanohybrids with three‐dimensional (3D) hierarchical porous carbon loading CeO2 quantum dots (CeO2‐QDs/HPC), which feature highly favorable properties of sodiophilic and catalysis for hosting sodium and tellurium, respectively. The systematic investigations coupling with first‐principle calculations demonstrate the CeO2‐QDs/HPC not only offers favorable structure and abundant electrocatalytic sites for facilitating interconversion between Te and NaxTe as a cathode host, but also can function as dendrite inhibitor anode host for reversible sodium electro‐plating/deposition. Such Na‐Te battery exhibits admiring electrochemical performance with an impressive specific capacity of 392 mAh g−1, a long cycling stability over 1000 cycles, as well as remarkably high energy density of 192 Wh kg−1 based on the total mass of anode and cathode. Such proof‐of‐concept bifunctional host design for active electrode materials can render a new insight and direction to the development of high‐performance Na‐Te batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium‐ion hybrid capacitors (SIHCs) have been regarded as one of the promising energy devices thanks to its low cost and compromise between energy density and power density, yet remain a challenge towards practical levels of mass loading (>10 mg cm−2). Herein, the fabrication of a 1D core–shell structure is reported with N‐doped porous carbon encapsulating ZnV2O4 nanofibers (ZnV2O4NFs@N‐PC), which features an open framework and favorable properties for facilitating ion diffusion, mass transportation, and electron transfer, enabling it to perform impressively for sodium ions storage. A 3D printed SIHC is conceptually proposed by coupling the 3D printed ZnV2O4NFs@N‐PC anode with a 3D printed active carbon cathode, which can deliver a high energy/power density of 145.07 Wh kg−1/3677.1 W kg−1 with a durable cycling lifespan. It is demonstrated that the 3D printed SIHC, even at a high mass loading of up to 16.25 mg cm−2, can release a high areal energy/power density of 1.67 mWh cm−2/38.96 mW cm−2, outperforming most of the SIHCs developed so far. The present work sheds light on the role of the design of electrode materials and verifies the promise of 3D‐printed technology for next‐generation electrochemical energy devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen (H2) has been utilized as a versatile feedstock or promising energy carrier in a variety of fields, yet the implementation of high‐rate H2 production presents a grand challenge for its readily accessible application. Herein, a newly alkali‐Al/acid hybrid fuel cell (3AHFC) that shows the capability of rapidly producing H2 upon delivering a considerably high energy density is reported, which is set up by paring Al anode in alkaline anolyte with acidic catholyte and a relatively cheap nanohybrid of Ru nanoparticle decorating crumpled reduced graphene oxide (Ru/c‐rGO) as cathode catalysts. It is demonstrated that the 3AHFC can release a power density of up to 240.6 mW cm−2 with a Faradic efficiency of approaching 99% for fast H2 generation (300 mA cm−2). Such hybrid electrolyte H2‐generation fuel cell can also be extended for either seawater anolyte or metallic Mg anode, presenting great promise for the practice feasibility of on‐site H2 production for applications in tough or even extreme environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium‐based dual‐ion batteries (SDIBs) have been envisaged as one of the promising rechargeable energy storage devices by virtue of the low cost and considerably high energy density. But the exploration of high‐performance anode materials yet remain a grand challenge. Herein, an elaborate design is reported to fabricate nanohybrids of N‐doped carbon film modifying MoSSe nanosheets supported on hollow cubic N‐doped carbon (MoSSeNSs@NC/hC‐NC), which features abundant anionic defects, few‐layered MoSSe with expanded interlayer spacing, good conductivity, and hollow structure. These favorable properties and structure are greatly conducive for Na+ storage, as evidenced by displaying desirable electrochemical properties of high capacity, good rate capability, and excellent stability. The impressive capability for Na+ storage in the MoSSeNSs@NC/hC‐NC motivates to set up a full SDIBs device by coupling with EG cathode, which show a discharge capacity of 185 mA h g–1 at 1 A g–1 with the capacity retention of almost 100% over 2000 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous electrochemical devices such as batteries and electrolytic cells have emerged as promising energy storage and conversion systems owing to their environmental friendliness, low cost, and high safety characteristics. However, grand challenges are faced to address some critical issues, including how to enhance the potential window and energy density of electrochemical power devices (e.g. fuel cells, batteries, and supercapacitors), and how to minimize the energy consumption in electrolysis. The use of decoupled acid–base asymmetric electrolytes shows great potential in improving the performance of aqueous devices by electrochemically converting the conventional thermal energy of acid–base neutralization into electricity, i.e., electrochemical neutralization energy (ENE). This review aims to introduce the little-known concept of the ENE, including its development history, thermodynamic fundamentals, operating principles, device configurations, and applications. The recent progress made in ENE-assisted electrochemical energy devices emphasizing fuel cells, batteries, supercapacitors, and electrolytic cells is summarized specifically. Finally, the challenges and future perspectives of ENE associated technology are discussed. It is believed that this tutorial review will give a better understanding of the mechanism and operating principles of the ENE to newcomers, which would shed light on the innovative design and fabrication of ENE-assisted devices and thus pave the way for the development of high-performance aqueous electrochemical energy devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous rechargeable batteries have attracted attention owning to their advantages of safety, low cost, and sustainability, while the limited electrochemical stability window (1.23 V) of water leads to their failure in competition with organic‐based lithium‐ion batteries. Herein, we report an alkali–acid Zn–PbO2 hybrid aqueous battery obtained by coupling an alkaline Zn anode with an acidic PbO2 cathode. It shows the capability to deliver an impressively high open‐circuit voltage (Voc) of 3.09 V and an operate voltage of 2.95 V at 5 mA cm−2, thanks to the contribution of expanding the voltage window and the electrochemical neutralization energy from the alkali–acid asymmetric‐electrolyte hybrid cell. The hybrid battery can potentially deliver a large area capacity over 2 mAh cm−2 or a high energy density of 252.39 Wh kg−1 and shows almost no fading in area capacity over 250 charge–discharge cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal ion hybrid capacitors (MIHCs) have been recognized as one of the most promising power sources owing to their combined merits of high energy density in batteries and high power output in supercapacitors. The kinetics mismatch between the capacitor-type cathode and battery-type anode yet must be well addressed before implementing their practical feasibility. Here, we overview the recent progress in sodium and potassium ion hybrid capacitors (SIHCs and PIHCs) and discuss the major challenges and give an outlook on the future directions in this field. The fundamental knowledge and the history will be firstly introduced, and special emphasis is then laid on the development of a variety of electrode materials in recent years. The prospects of future research of MIHCs are finally proposed towards their practical applications. We wish that this feature article can not only educate newcomers starting their reasearch in this field, but also inspire experieced researchers to contribute to the development of high-performance MIHC devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Zn−air batteries have attracted enormous research interest, driven by the promise for vehicle propulsion owing to their advantages of high‐level safety, low cost, and high specific energy density. Here, we report an asymmetric‐electrolyte Zn−air battery with acid catholyte and alkaline anolyte separated by a bipolar membrane. We demonstrate that the as‐designed Zn−air battery, thanks to the as‐formed concentration cell, can deliver a maximum power density of 380 mW cm−2 and a specific energy density of 1522 Wh kg−1 with an open‐circuit voltage of 2.25 V. The as‐proposed Zn−air battery performance is superior to the conventional Zn−air battery in terms of these pivotal performance parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition‐metal dichalcogenides have emerged as promising anodes of sodium ion batteries (SIBs). Their practical SIB application calls for an easy‐to‐handle synthetic technique capable of fabricating favorable properties with high conductivity and stable structure. Here, a solvothermal strategy is reported for bottom‐up self‐assembling of nanoflowers' building block, i.e., conductive interlayer‐expanded 2D WS2 nanosheets thanks to in situ interlayer modification by nitrogen‐doped carbon matrix, into 3D hollow microflower bud‐like hybrids (H‐WS2@NC). The 3D nano/microhierarchical hollow structures are constructed by conductive interlayer‐expanded WS2 nanosheets' building blocks, providing abundant channels facilitating mass transport/electrons transfer, robust protection layer to avoid the direct contact between WS2 nanosheets and electrolyte, sufficient inner space for accommodating volume variation, and decreased ions diffusion energy barrier for accelerating electrochemical kinetics, as revealed by density functional theory calculations. As such, the 3D H‐WS2@NC hybrids exhibit quite attractive sodium storage performance with high reversible capacity, superior rate capability, and impressively long cycling life. The 3D H‐WS2@NC is further verified as anode of sodium‐ion full cell pairing with Na3V2(PO4)3/rGO cathode, delivering a stable reversible capacity of 296 mAh g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 with high energy density of 128 Wh kg−1total at a power density of 386 W kg−1total. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potassium‐ion hybrid capacitors (PIHCs) hold the advantages of high‐energy density of batteries and high‐power output of supercapacitors and thus present great promise for the next generation of electrochemical energy storage devices. One of the most crucial tasks for developing a high‐performance PIHCs is to explore a favorable anode material with capability to balance the kinetics mismatch between battery‐type anodes and capacitor‐type cathode. Herein, a reliable route for fabricating sulfur and nitrogen codoped 3D porous carbon nanosheets (S‐N‐PCNs) is reported. Systematic characterizations coupled with kinetics analysis indicate that the doped heteroatoms of sulfur and nitrogen and the amplified graphite interlayer can provide ample structural defects and redox active sites that are beneficial for improving pseudocapacitive activity, enabling fast kinetics toward efficient potassium‐ion storage. The S‐N‐PCNs are demonstrated to exhibit superior potassium storage capability with a high capacity of 107 mAh g−1 at 20 A g−1 and long cycle stability. The as‐developed PIHCs present impressive electrochemical performance with an operating voltage as high as 4.0 V, an energy density of 187 Wh kg−1, a power density of 5136 W kg−1, and a capacity retention of 86.4% after 3000 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significance of exploring optimal electrode materials cannot be overstated, particularly in mitigating the critical issues posed by sluggish redox kinetics, significant volume variations, and severe structural collapse resulting from the insertion and extraction of sodium ions. These efforts are crucial for enhancing the longevity and rapid charging capabilities of sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs). Herein, a defect engineering strategy for the in situ encapsulation of single‐phase ternary iron phosphoselenide into porous carbon by robust chemical bonds with the formation of rod‐like multicavity nanohybrids (FePSe3@C) is presented. The incorporation of Se atom not only modulates the electronic structure of the central metal Fe atom and enhances the intrinsic electrical conductivity, but also generates numerous additional reaction sites and accelerates the reaction kinetics of FePSe3@C, as corroborated by theoretical calculations and kinetic analysis. Notably, the FePSe3@C demonstrates an outstanding rate capability of 321.7 mAh g−1 even at 20 A g−1 and long cycling stability over 1000 cycles. The sodium‐ion full cell, pairing the FePSe3@C anode with the Na3V2(PO4)3@C cathode, exhibits a remarkable energy density of 202 Wh kg−1, demonstrating its practical applicability. This work provides a controllable defect and morphology engineering strategy to construct advanced materials with fast charge transfer for high‐power/energy SIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]