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Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) hold significant promise in the future energy storage market. However, the uncontrolled growth of zinc dendrites and the occurrence of side reactions severely constrain the practical deployment of ZIBs. To address these challenges, this study suggests incorporating H3BO3 (HBO) as an electrolyte additive into the ZnSO4 electrolyte, with the aim of inducing preferential growth of the (002) plane. HBO molecules selectively adsorb onto the (100) and (101) planes of zinc, promoting the deposition of Zn2+ ions into the (002) plane and resulting in the formation of a uniformly deposited layer while concurrently inhibiting side reactions. The results demonstrate that ZnǁZn symmetric batteries, with the HBO additive, exhibit stable cycling at high current density, achieving a cycling life of 1100 h at 10 and 10 mAh cm−2 as well as 250 h at 50% depth of discharge. Furthermore, the ZnǁVO2 coin cell demonstrates stable cycling for 1700 cycles at 1 A g−1 and 7000 cycles at 5 A g−1. This study presents a promising case for the commercialization of advanced ZIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc-ion battery (ZIBs) has garnered considerable attention for its economic, safe, and high-energy-density characteristics. However, impediments, such as undesirable side reactions and uneven dendrites, have restrained its progress. To overcome these challenges, diverse strategies have been proposed, with electrolyte modification emerging as a preferred approach due to its simplicity and practicality. Here, we introduced ethylenediamine (EDA) as an additive into ZnSO4 solution. Through a combination of theoretical calculations and experimental validation, we have demonstrated that EDA plays a pivotal role in reducing the free active H2O by modifying the solvation structure of Zn2+, thereby enhancing the stability of the zinc anode. Upon the incorporation of EDA into the ZnSO4 electrolyte, the symmetrical battery assembled showcased remarkable cycling stability, surpassing 1500 h at 1 mA cm−2 and 1 mAh cm−2. Notably, the coulombic efficiency and durability of Zn/Ti asymmetric batteries under identical conditions were significantly improved. Furthermore, the positive impact of EDA extended to Zn/NH4V4O10 full batteries assembled using the modified electrolyte, providing robust evidence of the practical efficacy of EDA additive. This study not only highlights the transformative potential of EDA in enhancing the stability and performance of ZIBs but also reinforces its practicality for advanced energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low cost and intrinsic safety of rechargeable aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (ZIBs) contribute to their significant potential in grid‐level energy storage systems. However, the limited cathode options still hinder the development of ZIBs, which always delivers poor rate capacities and cycling stability. Herein, Monoclinic phase H3.78V6O13 microspheres with a stable internal framework and intrinsic metallic properties as a high‐performance cathode for ZIBs are proposed and utilized. The reversible Zn2+insertion/de‐insertion mechanism in H3.78V6O13through ex situ X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray absorption near‐edge structure, and in situ Raman involves the enlargement/shrink of interplanar distance, the decrease/increase of the V valance, and the open/recombine of V─O/V─V bonds. Further, experiments and theoretical calculations elucidate the superior electrochemical performance and extraordinary reaction kinetics in H3.78V6O13. The as‐prepared H3.78V6O13 cathode delivers high specific capacity of 406 mAh g–1 at 0.1 A g–1, excellent structure stability with 100% manifested after 120 cycles at 0.5 A g–1, 72.9% retained after 15 000 cycles at 10 A g–1. This research offers distinctive perspectives on the development of high‐performance cathode materials for ZIBs and enhances the understanding of the electrochemical reaction mechanisms of vanadium oxides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we successfully prepared an alginate-doped cotton pad biocomposite by a facile one-step dip-coating method. Herein, zinc acetate was used as the green electrolyte. The structure, ionic conductivity, and cycle performance of the prepared composites were estimated. The composite here showed favorable fibrous structure. Furthermore, the introduction of alginate into the cotton pad improved its surface hydrophilicity, electrolyte uptake ability, and mechanical stiffness. Tensile strength and elongation at break were found to be 11–13 MPa and 49–54%, respectively. Young's modulus was in the range of 214–287 MPa. The alginate-doped cotton pad also showed substantial ionic conductivity ranging from 0.91 to 1.96 mS/cm. This composite offered a balance between excellent mechanical properties, electrochemical stability, and ion flow. Additionally, the preliminary electrochemical studies showed that the half zinc-ion battery assembled with the alginate-doped cotton pad separator was stable throughout 200 h of cycling. This work implemented the versatility of cotton and alginate as a biocomposite in energy storage application. Cotton matrix, alginate and electrolyte are entirely green component which is not a threat to the environment. The findings established the employment of the simple and low-cost yet effective of cotton and alginate as an alternative separator material for zinc-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to their outstanding power density, long cycle life and low cost, supercapacitors have gained much interest. As for supercapacitor electrodes, molybdenum nitrides show promising potential. Molybdenum nitrides, however, are mainly prepared as nanopowders via a chemical route and require binders for the manufacture of electrodes. Such electrodes can impair the performance of supercapacitors. Herein, binder-free chromium (Cr)-doped molybdenum nitride (Mo2N) TFEs having different Cr concentrations are prepared via a reactive co-sputtering technique. The Cr-doped Mo2N films prepared have a cubic phase structure of γ-Mo2N with a minor shift in the (111) plane. While un-doped Mo2N films exhibit a spherical morphology, Cr-doped Mo2N films demonstrate a clear pyramid-like surface morphology. The developed Cr-doped Mo2N films contain 0–7.9 at.% of Cr in Mo2N lattice. A supercapacitor using a Cr-doped Mo2N electrode having the highest concentration of Cr reveals maximum areal capacity of 2780 mC/cm2, which is much higher than that of an un-doped Mo2N electrode (110 mC/cm2). Furthermore, the Cr-doped Mo2N electrode demonstrates excellent cycling stability, achieving ~ 94.6% capacity retention for about 2000 cycles. The reactive co-sputtering proves to be a suitable technique for fabrication of binder-free TFEs for high-performance energy storage device applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MXene‐based materials with excellent conductivity and stability features have attracted worldwide attention as anode of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs), while the serious stacking issue and low capacity still hinder its further development in the field of energy storage. In this work, a nanohybrid architecture (Nb‐TiO2−x/MXene) is prepared with Nb‐TiO2−x particles conformally coated on the (Ti0.9Nb0.1)3C2Tx MXene via a facile annealing method, which delivers a high specific capacity of 279.2 mAh g−1 at the current density of 0.1 A g−1 and a superior capacity retention of 91.5% after 2000 cycle at 1 A g−1 as the anode material of LIBs. Importantly, the (Ti0.9Nb0.1)3C2Tx MXene layers provide sufficient active sites and open pathways as well as structural support for the reversible Li+ insertion/extraction, and the Nb‐TiO2−x particles enable reversible and fast Li+ diffusion and storage, thus leading to high‐performance and durable anode materials. This work offers a guidance for the elaborate design of MXene‐based nanostructured electrodes toward advanced energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) are recognized as a highly competitive electrochemical energy storage systems due to the high safety and low cost, however, rational design of advanced cathodes with stable internal structures and fast Zn2+ diffusion channel remains challenging. Herein, we reported an advanced cathode of oxygen defect enriched (NH 4) 2 V 10 O 25 ·8H 2 O (NVO D) nanosheets with expanded tunnel structure, exceptional conductivity and superior structural stability for aqueous ZIBs, showing fast Zn2+ diffusion and excellent performance. The resulted ZIBs afford a remarkably high capacity (408 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1), ultrahigh stability (94.1% retention over 4000 cycles), and exceptional energy density (287 Wh kg−1), outperforming many cathodes of ZIBs. Furthermore, it is revealed that from theoretical and experimental studies the oxygen defects intrinsically contribute to the narrow bandgap and high electrical conductivity of NVO D to greatly boost the performance. The reversible storage of Zn2+ in NVO D is further illustrated via different in-situ characterization techniques. Moreover, the flexible soft-packaged batteries also demonstrate superior capacity retention of 91% after 200 cycles. Therefore, the exploration in NVO D materials with rich oxygen defects will supply an attractive approach for designing high-performance and flexible ZIBs. The oxygen defect enriched (NH 4) 2 V 10 O 25 ·8H 2 O (NVO D) nanosheets with expanded tunnel structure, exceptional conductivity and superior structural stability display fast Zn2+ diffusion and excellent performance as cathode of aqueous ZIBs. [Display omitted] • Oxygen defect enriched (NH 4) 2 V 10 O 25 ·8H 2 O (NVO D) nanosheets are synthesized by solution synthesis method. • NVO D nanosheets show the expanded tunnel structure, exceptional conductivity, and superior structural stability. • NVO D nanosheets display high capacity of 418 mAh g−1, and exceptional stability with a retention of 94.1% after 4000 cycles at 5 A g−1. • The soft-packaged ZIBs display long-term cyclability of 91% after 200 cycles, with remarkable flexibility, and modular integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the ability of ionic liquid (IL) was demonstrated to act as a solvent or an electrolyte, IL-based electrolytes have been widely used as a potential candidate for renewable energy storage devices, like lithium ion batteries (LIBs) and supercapacitors (SCs). In this review, we aimed to present the state-of-the-art of IL-based electrolytes electrochemical, cycling, and physicochemical properties, which are crucial for LIBs and SCs. ILs can also be regarded as designer solvents to replace the more flammable organic carbonates and improve the green credentials and performance of energy storage devices, especially LIBs and SCs. This review affords an outline of the progress of ILs in energy-related applications and provides essential ideas on the emerging challenges and openings that may motivate the scientific communities to move towards IL-based energy devices. Finally, the challenges in design of the new type of ILs structures for energy and environmental applications are also highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high-performance K-NH 4 V 4 O 10 (K-NVO) cathode with K+ doping was synthesized successfully through one-step hydrothermal method, which exhibits lower barriers for Zn2+ diffusion and superior stability, leading to excellent electrochemical performance. [Display omitted] Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs), defined by low expenses, superior safety, and plentiful reserves, demonstrate tremendous development potential in energy storage systems at the grid scale. Whereas the cathode instability and the limited diffusion of Zn2+ have impeded the development of AZIBs. Herein, a high-performance K-NH 4 V 4 O 10 (K-NVO) cathode with K+ doping synthesized successfully through one-step hydrothermal approach. Experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicate that K-NVO has Zn2+ diffusion pathways with lower barriers for smoother transport, and lower formation energy. The combination of the rapid Zn2+ diffusion and the stable structure results in outstanding electrochemical performance of K-NVO as demonstrated in tests. K-NVO cathode achieves a specific capacity of 406 mAh g−1 at 0.2 A g−1, maintains satisfactory cyclic stability with 81.6 % capacity retention after 1000 cycles at 5 A g−1, and possesses a high energy density of 350.9 Wh kg−1. Furthermore, confirmation of the zinc storage mechanism in K-NVO was carried out through Ex situ tests, such as XRD and XPS. This research contributes a unique perspective to the formulation of high-performance cathode materials for AZIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS 2)-based nanostructures are mostly studied materials as an electrode for electrochemical energy storage devices, in particular supercapacitors, because of their innate electrochemical characteristics. However, the commercialization of the MoS 2 -based electrodes is still bottlenecked. The engineered design of the material and their ternary hybrid structures are hoping to enhance their performance. In this work, we explain the process of in-situ formation of MoS 2 /Mo 2 C/C nanofibers, obtained through electrospinning followed by post-treatment and carbonization. The physical and chemical properties of the materials are thoroughly investigated using Raman Spectroscopy, FESEM, TEM and XRD. MoS 2 /Mo 2 C/C nanofiber hybrid exhibits a high specific (C sp) capacitance of 940 F g−1 at 1 A g−1, surpassing that of the MoS 2 nanofibers (425 F g−1) and carbon nanofiber (33 F g−1). The capacitive retention obtained for MoS 2 /Mo 2 C/C and MoS 2 nanofiber is 82% and 62% up to 5000 cycles. This in situ formation method provides an idea for improving the electrochemical performance of MoS 2 nanofiber for further application of supercapacitor. [Display omitted] • MoS 2 /Mo 2 C/C composite nanofibers was obtained through electrospinning technique followed by carbonization. • The electrochemical performance of the material was studied and the performance was compared with MoS 2 nanofiber. • Electrode exhibited a high specific capacitance of 940 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 with the retention of 82% over 5000 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A low-cost separator (CNF + LMS) composes of cellulose nanofibers and lithium magnesium silicate (LMS) has been prepared. • CNF + LMS separator can promote the de-solvation process and facilitate the uniform zinc deposition. • CNF + LMS separator can suppress the zinc dendrites and side reactions. • CNF + LMS separator can be utilized to improve the electrochemical performance of full batteries. Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) are promising as the next-generation energy storage system due to their inherent safety and low cost, but challenges relating to H 2 O-induced side reactions and dendrite growth of the zinc anode are restricting its practical application. Herein, a low-cost separator (CNF + LMS) composed of cellulose nanofibers (CNF) and lithium magnesium silicate (LMS) has been prepared to eliminate the obstacles through accelerating the de-solvation process and facilitating the homogeneous zinc deposition. As verified by the experimental results and theoretical calculations, the battery with CNF + LMS separator shows a lower de-solvation activation energy (44.13 kJ mol−1) and faster de-solvation kinetics due to the superior water adsorption capacity of LMS molecules. Additionally, the CNF + LMS separator also presents superior wettability, large tensile strength, and excellent ionic conductivity, thus enabling dendrite‐free zinc deposition, long cycling life (1000 h at 1 mA cm−2; 500 h at 5 mA cm−2), superior Coulombic efficiency (99.12 % at 1 mA cm−2). The CNF + LMS separator, which cost as low as ¥ 6.36 per m2, can also be utilized in Zn||VO 2 full battery and pouch cell to boost their electrochemical performance. Considering the facile preparation, low cost and practical feasibility, the CNF + LMS separator offers a new opportunity for developing practical ZIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• PAM hydrogel was successfully 3D printed via DLP 3D printing process. • Design porosity 3D-printed PAM hydrogel was well used as hydrogel polymer electrolytes (HPEs). • 3D-printed PAM hydrogel showed a comparable electrochemical property with conventional HPEs. • 3D-printed PAM hydrogel with 40% porosity served a specific capacity of 161.4 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1. Zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) are a highly cost-effective and safe option for electrochemical energy storage, particularly suited for flexible wearable devices. However, the development of hydrogel polymer electrolytes (HPEs) for ZIBs using 3D printing technology presents challenges in terms of performance, stability, and durability. The purpose of this study is to address these challenges by creating 3D-printed flexible HPEs with varying porosity from polyacrylamide (PAM) using digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing. The electrochemical properties of the 3D-printed HPEs were compared to conventional casted HPEs. The 3D printed HPEs exhibited improved electrochemical performance, especially in ionic conductivity (28.10 mS cm−1, equivalent to the current conventional HPEs). Higher porosity in the 3D printed HPEs enhanced electrolyte absorption and facilitated Zn2+ ions diffusion, as confirmed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) results. Furthermore, galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) measurements demonstrated that the 3D-printed PAM hydrogel electrolyte with 40% porosity achieved a specific capacity of 161.4 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1. The findings validate the potential of the 3D-printed PAM hydrogel as a flexible HPE for ZIBs. The customized design structure of the 3D-printed HPEs enabled improved electrochemical properties, surpassing the limitations of conventional casted HPEs. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) are promising energy storage system owing to the low cost and high safety features. As the most-used anode material, zinc metal always encounters poor coulombic efficiency (CE) and cycling stability, because of the serious zinc dendrite and harmful side reactions on Zn surface. Here, a solid-phase non-adhesive homogeneous Nano-Si layer has been embedded on the Zn surface (Zn-Si) via an ultra-facile grinding method. The Nano-Si layer can regulate an even electric field distribution to achieve a homogeneous zinc deposition, and it also can greatly lower the charge transfer resistance and nucleation energy barrier of Zn2+ to facilitate the zinc deposition, thus achieving a dendrites-free and long-life Zn anode. Encouragingly, the zinc symmetrical battery with Zn-Si anode delivers a superior CE of 99.6 % in 1000 cycles under 5 mA cm−2, and a stable cycle lifespan of 3600 h under 1 mA cm−2 with much lower polarization potential (42 mV), outperforming the symmetrical battery with pure Zn anode (455 h, 59 mV) and various previously reported strategies. Additionally, the effectiveness of Nano-Si layer is further proved in the Zn-Si/MnO 2 battery, which presents a greatly improved capacity retention and cycling performance. [Display omitted] • Zn-Si anode has been prepared via a facile grinding process with sandpaper and Nano-Si powder. • Zn-Si anode shows lower the charge transfer resistance and nucleation energy overpotential. • Zn-Si can prevent the formation of zinc dendrites and by-products. • Zn-Si anode can further improve the electrochemical performance of full battery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]