Recent progress in carbon nanomaterials for highly flexible fibrous aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

Fibrous zinc-ion batteries (FZIBs) are ideal wearable energy storage devices with unparalleled utility in the next generation of flexible electronics. However, the conventional electrode materials still present challenges to achieve both good electrochemical performance and mechanical deformability. This hinders their large-scale production and commercial application.

Wet-spinning of carbon nanotube fibers: dispersion, processing and properties.

Owing to the intrinsic excellent mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), carbon nanotube fibers (CNTFs) have been expected to become promising candidates for the next-generation of high-performance fibers. They have received considerable interest for cutting-edge applications, such as ultra-light electric wire, aerospace craft, military equipment, and space elevators. Wet-spinning is a broadly utilized commercial technique for high-performance fiber manufacturing.

Crystalline Texture Reengineering of Zinc Powder-Based Fibrous Anode for Remarkable Mechano-Electrochemical Stability.

The challenge of inadequate mechano-electrochemical stability in rechargeable fibrous Zn-ion batteries (FZIBs) has emerged as a critical challenge for their broad applications. Traditional rigid Zn wires struggle to maintain a stable electrochemical interface when subjected to external mechanical stress. To address this issue, a wet-spinning technique has been developed to fabricate Zn powder based fibrous anode, while carbon nanotubes (CNTs) introduced to enhance the spinnability of Zn powder dispersion.

Stable zinc anode solid electrolyte interphase via inner Helmholtz plane engineering.

The inner Helmholtz plane and thus derived solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) are crucial interfacial structure to determine the electrochemical stability of Zn-ion battery (ZIB). In this work, we demonstrate that introducing β-cyclodextrins (CD) as anion-receptors into Zn(OTf) aqueous electrolyte could significantly optimize the Zn anode SEI structure for achieving stable ZIB. Specifically, β-CD with macrocyclic structure holds appropriate cavity size and charge distribution to encase OTf anions at the Zn metal surface to form β-CD@OTf dominated inner Helmholtz structure.

Carbon nanotube fibers with dynamic strength up to 14 GPa.

High dynamic strength is of fundamental importance for fibrous materials that are used in high-strain rate environments. Carbon nanotube fibers are one of the most promising candidates. Using a strategy to optimize hierarchical structures, we fabricated carbon nanotube fibers with a dynamic strength of 14 gigapascals (GPa) and excellent energy absorption.

Fabricating Ultrastrong Carbon Nanotube Fibers via a Microwave Welding Interface.

Liquid crystal wet-spun carbon nanotube fibers (CNTFs) offer notable advantages, such as precise alignment and scalability. However, these CNTFs usually suffer premature failure through intertube slippage due to the weak interfacial interactions between adjacent shells and bundles. Herein, we present a microwave (MW) welding strategy to enhance intertube interactions by partially carbonizing interstitial heterocyclic aramid polymers.

Continuous production of ultratough semiconducting polymer fibers with high electronic performance.

Conjugated polymers have demonstrated promising optoelectronic properties, but their brittleness and poor mechanical characteristics have hindered their fabrication into durable fibers and textiles. Here, we report a universal approach to continuously producing highly strong, ultratough conjugated polymer fibers using a flow-enhanced crystallization (FLEX) method. These fibers exhibit one order of magnitude higher tensile strength (>200 megapascals) and toughness (>80 megajoules per cubic meter) than traditional semiconducting polymer fibers and films, outperforming many synthetic fibers, ready for scalable production.

Regulating the Inner Helmholtz Plane with a High Donor Additive for Efficient Anode Reversibility in Aqueous Zn-Ion Batteries.

The performance of aqueous Zn ion batteries (AZIBs) is highly dependent on inner Helmholtz plane (IHP) chemistry. Notorious parasitic reactions containing hydrogen evolution reactions (HER) and Zn dendrites both originate from abundant free H O and random Zn deposition inside active IHP. Here, we report a universal high donor number (DN) additive pyridine (Py) with only 1 vol.

Synchronous Dual Electrolyte Additive Sustains Zn Metal Anode with 5600 h Lifespan.

Despite conspicuous merits of Zn metal anodes, the commercialization is still handicapped by rampant dendrite formation and notorious side reaction. Manipulating the nucleation mode and deposition orientation of Zn is a key to rendering stabilized Zn anodes. Here, a dual electrolyte additive strategy is put forward via the direct cooperation of xylitol (XY) and graphene oxide (GO) species into typical zinc sulfate electrolyte.

Precursor Customized Assembly of Wafer-Scale Polymerized Aniline Thin Films for Ultrasensitive NH Detection.

2D conducting polymer thin film recently has garnered numerous interests as a means of combining the molecular aggregate ordering and promoting in-plane charge transport for large-scale/flexible organic electronics. However, it remains far from satisfactory for conducting polymer chains to achieve desirable surface topography and crystallinity due to lack of control over the precursor-involved interfacial assembly. Herein, wafer-size polyaniline (PANI) and tetra-aniline thin films are developed via a controlled interfacial synthesis with customized surface morphology and crystallinity through two typical aniline precursors selective polymerization.

Manipulating Hierarchical Orientation of Wet-Spun Hybrid Fibers via Rheological Engineering for Zn-Ion Fiber Batteries.

Wet-spinning is a promising strategy to fabricate fiber electrodes for real commercial fiber battery applications, according to its great compatibility with large-scale fiber production. However, engineering the rheological properties of the electrochemical active materials to accommodate the viscoelasticity or liquid crystalline requirements for continuous wet-spinning remains a daunting challenge. Here, with entropy-driven volume-exclusion effects, the rheological behavior of vanadium pentoxide (V O ) nanowire dispersions is regulated through introducing 2D graphene oxide (GO) flakes in an optimal ratio.

Regulating Interfacial Ion Migration via Wool Keratin Mediated Biogel Electrolyte toward Robust Flexible Zn-Ion Batteries.

Aqueous Zn-ion batteries (ZIBs) have emerged as a promising energy supply for next-generation wearable electronics, yet they are still impeded by the notorious growth of zinc dendrite and uncontrollable side reaction. While the rational design of electrolyte composition or separator decoration can effectively restrain zinc dendrite growth, synchronously regulating the interfacial electrochemical performance by tackling the physical delamination venture between electrode and electrolyte remains a major obstacle for high-performance wearable aqueous ZIB. Herein, a category of hybrid biogel electrolyte containing carrageenan and wool keratin (CWK) is put forward to regulate the interfacial electrochemistry in aqueous ZIB.

Niobium pentoxide based materials for high rate rechargeable electrochemical energy storage.

The demand for high rate energy storage systems is continuously increasing driven by portable electronics, hybrid/electric vehicles and the need for balancing the smart grid. Accordingly, NbO based materials have gained great attention because of their fast cation intercalation faradaic charge storage that endows them with high rate energy storage performance. In this review, we describe the crystalline features of the five main phases of NbO and analyze their specific electrochemical characteristics with an emphasis on the intrinsic ion intercalation pseudocapacitive behavior of T-NbO.

Crystalline tetra-aniline with chloride interactions towards a biocompatible supercapacitor.

Recent advances in wearable and implantable electronics have increased the demand for biocompatible integrated energy storage systems. Conducting polymers, such as polyaniline (PANi), have been suggested as promising electrode materials for flexible biocompatible energy storage systems, based on their intrinsic structural flexibility and potential polymer chain compatibility with biological interfaces. However, due to structural disorder triggering insufficient electronic conductivity and moderate electrochemical stability, PANi still cannot fully satisfy the requirements for flexible and biocompatible energy storage systems.

Confining TiO Nanotubes in PECVD-Enabled Graphene Capsules Toward Ultrafast K-Ion Storage: In Situ TEM/XRD Study and DFT Analysis.

Titanium dioxide (TiO) has gained burgeoning attention for potassium-ion storage because of its large theoretical capacity, wide availability, and environmental benignity. Nevertheless, the inherently poor conductivity gives rise to its sluggish reaction kinetics and inferior rate capability. Here, we report the direct graphene growth over TiO nanotubes by virtue of chemical vapor deposition.

3D Printing of NiCoP/TiC MXene Architectures for Energy Storage Devices with High Areal and Volumetric Energy Density.

Designing high-performance electrodes via 3D printing for advanced energy storage is appealing but remains challenging. In normal cases, light-weight carbonaceous materials harnessing excellent electrical conductivity have served as electrode candidates. However, they struggle with undermined areal and volumetric energy density of supercapacitor devices, thereby greatly impeding the practical applications.

Assembly of Nanofluidic MXene Fibers with Enhanced Ionic Transport and Capacitive Charge Storage by Flake Orientation.

MXenes are an emerging class of highly conductive two-dimensional (2D) materials with electrochemical storage features. Oriented macroscopic TiCT fibers can be fabricated from a colloidal 2D nematic phase dispersion. The layered conductive TiCT fibers are ideal candidates for constructing high-speed ionic transport channels to enhance the electrochemical capacitive charge storage performance.

3D-Printed Zn-Ion Hybrid Capacitor Enabled by Universal Divalent Cation-Gelated Additive-Free TiC MXene Ink.

The construction of aqueous Zn-ion hybrid capacitors (ZICs) reconciling high energy/power density is practically meaningful yet remains a grand challenge. Herein, a high-capacitance and long-life ZIC is demonstrated by 3D printing of a TiC MXene cathode, affording optimized carrier transport, facile electrolyte penetration, and ample porosity. The 3D-printable additive-free MXene ink with desirable rheological property is derived by a fast gelation process employing a trace amount of divalent cations, which overcomes the tedious post-treatments required for additive removal.

Directly Grown Vertical Graphene Carpets as Janus Separators toward Stabilized Zn Metal Anodes.

Zinc metal anode has garnered a great deal of scientific and technological interest. Nevertheless, major bottlenecks restricting its large-scale utilization lie in the poor electrochemical stability and unsatisfactory cycling life. Herein, a Janus separator is developed via directly growing vertical graphene (VG) carpet on one side of commercial glass fiber separator throughout chemical vapor deposition.

3D Crumpled Ultrathin 1T MoS for Inkjet Printing of Mg-Ion Asymmetric Micro-supercapacitors.

Metallic molybdenum disulfide (MoS), .., 1T phase, is touted as a highly promising material for energy storage that already displays a great capacitive performance.

ZIF-8@ZIF-67-Derived Nitrogen-Doped Porous Carbon Confined CoP Polyhedron Targeting Superior Potassium-Ion Storage.

Potassium ion batteries (KIB) have become a compelling energy-storage system owing to their cost effectiveness and the high abundance of potassium in comparison with lithium. However, its practical applications have been thwarted by a series of challenges, including marked volume expansion and sluggish reaction kinetics caused by the large radius of potassium ions. In line with this, the exploration of reliable anode materials affording high electrical conductivity, sufficient active sites, and structural robustness is the key.

Printable magnesium ion quasi-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors for flexible solar-charging integrated units.

Wearable and portable self-powered units have stimulated considerable attention in both the scientific and technological realms. However, their innovative development is still limited by inefficient bulky connections between functional modules, incompatible energy storage systems with poor cycling stability, and real safety concerns. Herein, we demonstrate a flexible solar-charging integrated unit based on the design of printed magnesium ion aqueous asymmetric supercapacitors.

Conductive and Catalytic VTe@MgO Heterostructure as Effective Polysulfide Promotor for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are recognized as one of the most promising energy storage systems due to the high energy density and cost effectiveness. However, their practical implementation has still been handicapped due to notorious lithium polysulfide (LiPS) shuttle and depressed sulfur redox kinetics. It is therefore desirable to exploit key mediators synergizing electrical conductivity and electrocatalytic activity for the cathode.

Rational Design of Mixed Solvent and Porous Graphene-Supported Spinel Oxide Electrodes for High-Rate and Long Cycle-Life Mg Batteries.

The development of Mg batteries based on the interfacial charge storage mechanism, where the capacity originates from capacitive processes and the solvent-related interfacial reactions, could efficiently circumvent the challenge of intercalation-based Mg batteries with sluggish kinetics. In this work, the proposed Mg organohaloaluminate mixture electrolyte is reported to improve the charge storage performance of the graphene-supported cathodes, resulting in both high cycling stability (91% capacity retention after 2000 cycles) and high rate capability (51% capacity retention when the current density increases by 100 times). The experimental and computational studies have revealed that the exceptional cell performance originates from the optimized electrode/electrolyte interface, where the highly reversible interfacial reactions occur with the 1,2-dimethoxyethane additive in the typical all-phenyl complex electrolyte.