Electrochemical Energy Storage Applications Research Articles

Two-dimensional MXene Nanomaterials: Preparation, Structure Modulation and the Applications in Electrochemical Energy Storage.

MXenes have attracted intensive attention owing to their unique twodimensional (2D) layered structure, high specific surface area, excellent conductivity, superior surface hydrophilicity, and chemical stability. In recent years, selective etching of the A element layers from MAX phases by fluorine-containing etchants (HF, LiF-HCl, etc) is a common method to prepare multilayered MXene nanomaterials (NMs) with plentiful surface terminations. At present, many studies have been reported on the use of fluorine-free etchants (NaOH, ZnCl2, etc) to etch MAX phases. The properties of MXene NMs are dependent on their structures. The purpose of this review is to focus on a comprehensive and systematical survey on the preparation, structure modulation, and applications of MXene NMs in electrochemical energy storage devices, including supercapacitors, lithium-ion battery, sodium-ion battery, potassium-ion battery, and aluminum-ion battery. Extensive information related to the preparation and applications of 2D MXene NMs for electrochemical energy storage and their associated patents were collected. This review highlights the recently reported 2D MXene NMs which are used in supercapacitor and various metal ion. It is found that the preparation methods have great impacts on the layer spacing and surface terminations of MXenes, consequently affecting their performance. Hence, this paper summarizes the research progress of the preparation strategies, layer spacing and surface termination modulation of MXene NMs. The applications of 2D MXene NMs in electrochemical energy storage are outlined. The forward-looking challenges and prospects for the development of MXenes are also proposed.

Risk analysis of lithium battery energy storage systems under typical failures

Abstract With the rapid increase in the proportion of new energy installed capacity, to solve the problem of new energy output volatility, lithium-ion battery energy storage has developed rapidly by its electrical characteristics and economic advantages and has become a hot spot for the large-scale application of electrochemical energy storage, but it is also accompanied by safety problems such as battery short-circuit and thermal runaway. Based on the typical structure of the lithium battery energy storage system, this paper establishes a complete simulation model of the lithium battery energy storage system, calculates the change rule of battery system electrical parameters inside the battery module under different types of short-circuit faults, and summarizes the fault characteristics and risks of lithium battery energy storage system under different faults. The study shows that short-circuit faults inside the battery module will cause significant fluctuations in the terminal voltage and current of the battery system. The internal short-circuit faults will increase the inter-cluster circulating current. In contrast, the larger short-circuit current will not only cause the local battery cells to overcharge and over-discharge but also trigger the thermal runaway of the battery system.

Inducing energy storage: Bimetallic MOF-derived Co3O4/NiO nanocomposites for advanced electrochemical applications

Multimetallic-based nanocomposites have arisen as highly capable functional materials, offering new horizons for applications in electrochemical energy storage. Among the platforms for synthesizing a diverse range of nanostructures incorporating metals, oxides, sulfides, and nitrides within a porous carbon matrix, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) stand out as exceptional candidates. In this study, we successfully synthesized Co3O4/NiO nanocomposites from a Co/Ni MOF, employing a 2-mthylimidazole (2 MI) linker as a key component in the synthesis process. The resulting nanocomposites reveal a notable synergy of characteristics, including high crystallinity, retained morphologies, and adjustable textural features, all of which are validated through a comprehensive series of characterization analyses. Leveraging these distinct advantages, the primary objective of this research is to fabricate Co3O4/NiO nanocomposites derived from a bimetallic MOF, with a keen focus on harnessing their potential for electrochemical energy storage uses. Electrochemical analysis of the Co3O4/NiO nanocomposite reveals an exceptional capacitance of up to 180.4F/g at 0.2 A/g, demonstrating exceptional performance and robust stability over a notable 1200 cycles. Furthermore, the Co3O4/NiO nanocomposite exhibits remarkable electrocatalytic performance, achieving a utmost current density of 135.6 mA/cm2 at 0.6 V along with excellent long-term electrochemical stability. This remarkable capacitance and oxidation of methanol underscores the suitability of these nanocomposites for advanced electrochemical energy storage and fuel cell uses, emphasizing their potential for enriched performance in such systems.

Complex polycation redox material interfaced with renewable porous carbon for asymmetric supercapacitors

Mixed polycation transition metal ferrites are known to exhibit unique and superior characteristics for structural, electrical, magnetic, and optical applications. Although a few binary transition metal ferrites are found to be suitable for electrochemical energy storage application, ternary transition metal ferrites are not investigated for asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs). Mixed polycation oxides are expected to have increased active sites that can facilitate proton and electron transfer impacting the redox reactions. Specific crystal structure and associated lattice parameters as well as surface and morphological characteristics can also influence the energy storage properties. This study for the first time reports a novel complex polycation redox material, (CupMnqZnr)xFeyOz and renewable pinewood (PW) derived porous carbon (POC) as electrodes for ASC. Both (CupMnqZnr)xFeyOz and PW-POC are subjected to electrochemical characterization and used in ASC configuration with aqueous KOH electrolyte. It is anticipated that the Faradaic characteristics of (CupMnqZnr)xFeyOz will make it to serve as a cathode while PW-POC with capacitive behavior will act as anode in ASCs. Relatively higher specific capacitance of > 200 F/g is observed for the (CupMnqZnr)xFeyOz reference electrode and fabricated ASCs. Capacitance retention rate is tested in 10,000 cycles for the working electrodes whereas for ASC, the stability tests are performed over 100 charging-discharging cycles exhibiting relatively higher capacitance retention. (CupMnqZnr)xFeyOz appears to be a promising material for a supercapacitor.

Facile synthesis of chromium doped cadmium sulfide/zinc telluride nanocomposites for enhanced electrochemical energy storage and photocatalytic applications

Polluted industrial wastewater from various dyes is becoming a serious problem that needs to be addressed as soon as possible to preserve the ecosystem. Additionally, in pursuit of effective capacitive electrode materials, we synthesized bifunctional Chromium doped Cadmium Sulfide/Zinc Telluride (Cr–CdS/ZnTe) nanocomposites for enhanced energy storage and improved photocatalytic activity using a sonochemical approach. XRD, Raman, EDX, and FT-IR results confirmed the successful formation of Cr–CdS/ZnTe nanocomposites. UV–Vis analysis presented that the bandgap of CdS/ZnTe nanocomposites was decreased by increasing the Cr concentration. The prepared Cr–CdS/ZnTe nanocomposites exhibited a nanoflake-like morphology as can be in SEM micrographs. The optimized sample (5 % Cr–CdS/ZnTe nanocomposites) showed boosted photocatalytic activity with degradation efficiencies of 99.43, 99.72, and 96.97 % against MB, MO, and RhB respectively, after 45, 45, and 40 min of visible light irradiation. For the first time, the electrochemical properties of Cr–CdS/ZnTe nanocomposites were also studied. The electrode based on 5 % Cr–CdS/ZnTe nanocomposites offered a higher specific capacitance of 523.6 F/g, an exceptional energy density of 18.18 W h/Kg, and a boosted power density of 250 W/kg at a current density of 1 A/g. This research opens up new opportunities for Cr–CdS/ZnTe nanocomposites to be used in environmental, and energy storage applications.

Na2SO3 Salt Effect on The Ionic Conductivity of Solid Polymer Electrolyte (SPE) Based on Polyvinyl Alcohol

This research is about solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) synthesized using a solution casting technique by adding variations of sodium sulfite salt and glycerol as fillers to reduce the samples' bulk resistance for electrochemical energy storage application. The method used is a quantitative analysis based on the test results. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) was used to determine the crystallinity and structure of the solid polymer electrolyte material. Interactions between Na+ ions from salts in SPE were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). The mechanical properties of the SPE samples were analyzed using tensile testing (ultimate tensile strength). Solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) ion conductivity was analyzed using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) with temperature variations of 25, 40, 50, 60, and 70°C. The maximum SPE ionic conductivity value is 1.05 × 10-5 S cm-1 in a PVA-Glycerol-Na2SO3 15% sample at 70°C.

The incorporation of cobalt ions into hydroxyapatite nanostructure for a novel range of electrochemical energy storage applications

Supercapacitors (SCs) have garnered extensive attention for their notable advantages, including extended cycle life, high energy density, and cost-effectiveness. Due to their large energy storage capacity and high output power, the development of pseudocapacitive materials for energy-oriented applications has been of great importance. The integration of nanoscale active materials in batteries results in faster redox kinetics. Consequently, alters the material's electrochemical characteristics from battery-like to pseudocapacitive-like behavior driven by enhanced surface area and reduced diffusion routes. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of pure hydroxyapatite and Co2+-doped hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanoparticles as electrode materials for SCs. The pure HAP and Co2+-doped HAP nanoparticles were synthesized via the Sol-Gel method. Electrochemical techniques such as cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were utilized to investigate the electrochemical behavior of the developed electrode. The highest values of specific capacitance (Csp) and energy density for the SC with Co2+-doped HAP nanoparticles electrode were obtained at 324 F g−1 and 145.8 Wh kg−1, respectively, at a current density of 1.2 A g−1. According to the data above, Co2+-doped HAP nanoparticles can be used as a substitute to improve electrochemical performance in energy storage applications.

Hydroxide-Derived Nanostructures: Scalable Synthesis, Characterization, Properties, and Potential Applications.

Metal oxide nanostructures have received an increasing attention owing to their unique chemical and physical properties along with their widespread applications in various fields. This article provides an overview of the recent discovery - christened Hydroxides-Derived Nanostructures, or HDNs - in which hydroxide aqueous solutions (mostly tetramethylammonium hydroxide, TMAH) are reacted at temperatures < 100°C and under atmospheric pressure with various metal-containing precursors to scalably prepare novel metal oxide nanostructures. In one case, a dozen commercial and earth abundant Ti-containing powders such as binary carbides, nitrides, borides, among others, are converted into new, 1D TiO2-based lepidocrocite (1DL) nanofilaments (NFs). Application-wise, the 1DLs show outstanding performance in a number of energy, environmental, and biomedical fields such as photo- and electrocatalysis, water splitting, lithium-sulfur and lithium-ion batteries, water purification, dye degradation, cancer therapy, and polymer composites. In addition to 1DL, the HDNs family encompasses other metal oxides nanostructures including magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles and MnO2 birnessite-based crystalline 2D flakes. The latter showed promise in electrochemical energy conversion and storage applications. The developed recipe provides a new vista in the molecular self-assembly synthesis of nanomaterials that can advance the field with a library of novel nanostructures with substantial implications in a multitude of fields.

Ni(OH)2@CoMnO3 hierarchical nanosheets grown on carbon cloth for high-performance supercapacitor

Ni(OH)2@CoMnO3 hierarchical nanosheets were prepared on carbon cloth using a two-step hydrothermal method. The integration of large Ni(OH)2 nanosheets with the smaller CoMnO3 nanosheets significantly improved the electrochemical performance. The composite material, Ni(OH)2@CoMnO3, exhibited significantly enhanced specific capacitance (3068F/g at 1 A/g) and remarkable cycling stability compared to its individual components, CoMnO3 and Ni(OH)2, making it a promising electrode material for electrochemical energy storage applications.

Advanced Insights on MXenes: Categories, Properties, Synthesis, and Applications in Alkali Metal Ion Batteries.

The development and optimization of promising anode material for next-generation alkali metal ion batteries are significant for clean energy evolution. 2D MXenes have drawn extensive attention in electrochemical energy storage applications, due to their multiple advantages including excellent conductivity, robust mechanical properties, hydrophilicity of its functional terminations, and outstanding electrochemical storage capability. In this review, the categories, properties, and synthesis methods of MXenes are first outlined. Furthermore, the latest research and progress of MXenes and their composites in alkali metal ion storage are also summarized comprehensively. A special emphasis is placed on MXenes and their hybrids, ranging from material design and fabrication to fundamental understanding of the alkali ion storage mechanisms to battery performance optimization strategies. Lastly, the challenges and personal perspectives of the future research of MXenes and their composites for energy storage are presented.

Construction of Monolayer Ti3C2Tx MXene on Nickel Foam under High Electrostatic Fields for High-Performance Supercapacitors

Ti3C2Tx MXene, as a common two-dimensional material, has a wide range of applications in electrochemical energy storage. However, the surface forces of few-layer or monolayer Ti3C2Tx MXene lead to easy agglomeration, which hinders the demonstration of its performance due to the characteristics of layered materials. Herein, we report a facile method for preparing monolayer Ti3C2Tx MXene on nickel foam to achieve a self-supporting structure for supercapacitor electrodes under high electrostatic fields. Moreover, the specific capacitance varies with the deposition of different-concentration monolayer Ti3C2Tx MXene on nickel foam. As a result, Ti3C2Tx/NF has a high specific capacitance of 319 mF cm−2 at 2 mA cm−2 and an excellent long-term cycling stability of 94.4% after 7000 cycles. It was observed that the areal specific capacitance increases, whereas the mass specific capacitance decreases with the increasing loading mass. Attributable to the effect of the high electrostatic field, the self-supporting structure of the Ti3C2Tx/NF becomes denser as the concentration of the monolayer Ti3C2Tx MXene ink increases, ultimately affecting its electrochemical performance. This work provides a simple way to overcome the agglomeration problem of few-layer or monolayer MXene, then form a self-supporting electrode exhibiting excellent electrochemical performance.

Mesoporous Mn-substituted MnxZn1-xCo2O4 ternary spinel microspheres with enhanced electrochemical performance for supercapacitor applications.

Extensive investigations have been carried out on spinel mixed transition metal oxide-based materials for high-performance electrochemical energy storage applications. In this study, mesoporous Mn-substituted MnxZn1-xCo2O4 (ZMC) ternary oxide microspheres (x = 0, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, and 1) were fabricated as electrode materials for supercapacitors through a facile coprecipitation method. Electron microscopy analysis revealed the formation of microspheres comprising interconnected aggregates of nanoparticles. Furthermore, the substitution of Mn into ZnCo2O4 significantly improved the surface area of the synthesized samples. The electrochemical test results demonstrate that the ZMC3 oxide microspheres with an optimal Mn substitution exhibited enhanced performance, displaying the largest specific capacitance of 589.9Fg-1 at 1Ag-1. Additionally, the ZMC3 electrode maintained a capacitance retention of 92.1% after 1000 cycles and exhibited a significant rate capability at a current density of 10Ag-1. This improved performance can be ascribed to the synergistic effects of multiple metals resulting from Mn substitution, along with an increase in the surface area, which tailors the redox behavior of ZnCo2O4 (ZC) and facilitates charge transfer. These findings indicate that the incorporation of Mn into mixed transition metal oxides holds promise as an effective strategy for designing high-performance electrodes for energy storage applications.

Rapid fabrication of binder free nickel cobalt oxide electrodes with dendritic nanostructure for electrochemical energy storage applications

A rapid and facile technique to synthesize nickel cobalt oxide electrodes by photothermal treatment of mixed organometallic precursor solution is reported. Using short and intense pulses of light from a xenon flash lamp, spray coated films are converted into porous nickel cobalt oxide electrodes with dendritic nanostructure. The electrode films fabricated in a few seconds show excellent energy storage properties as supercapacitor electrodes. Specific capacitance of up to 116 Fg−1 and capacitance retention of up to 75 % were observed in samples with low mass loading. Analysis of the cyclic voltammetry (CV) curves shows that capacitance is the dominating charge storage mechanism in these films. To study the effect of varying the mass loading in electrodes, double and triple layered electrodes were also studied. In films with high mass loading, the specific capacitance of the films decreased but areal capacitance continued to increase. A high areal capacitance of up to 243 mFcm−2 is observed in films with high mass loading. CV curve analysis of high mass loading electrodes further shows that in films with higher mass loading, the charge storage mechanism is a mix of capacitance and diffusion processes. The contribution of diffusion increased with increase in the mass loading of the electrodes. This study sheds light into the mechanism of charge storage in electrodes prepared by large-scale-amenable single step process of photonic curing which could be utilized to fabricate electrodes in industrial scale.

Enhanced Supercapacitive Performance in Catalyst‐Free Binary Composite SnO2–RuO2 Nanostructured Thin Films for Symmetric Supercapacitor Device

In the present work, thin film electrodes of ruthenium oxide (RuO2), tin oxide (SnO2), and their composite SnO2–RuO2 are deposited on 304 stainless steel substrates using pulsed laser deposition (PLD). These nanostructured electrodes are then evaluated for their suitability in electrochemical energy storage applications. A symmetric supercapacitor device (SSD) is constructed using the SnO2–RuO2 composite electrodes. Compared to individual SnO2 and RuO2 electrodes, the composite electrodes exhibit enhanced specific capacitance and cycle life. This improvement is attributed to modifications in surface morphology and electronic properties. This modified surface morphology of the composite electrode, creates favourable conditions for electrolyte interaction and ion transport, ultimately contributing to the observed increase in specific capacitance. Specifically, the composite electrode demonstrates a specific capacitance of 170.2 Fg−1 at a current density of 0.1 mA cm−2, outperforming SnO2 (37.4 Fg−1). The SnO2–RuO2//SnO2–RuO2 SSD exhibites a specific capacitance of 70.0 Fg−1 at a current density of 0.1 mA cm−2, coupled with energy density and power density values of 19.05 Wh kg−1 and 645 W kg−1, respectively, within a voltage window of 1.4 V. The SSD displays an impressive capacitive retention of 81.27% over 10 000 cycles, indicating its potential for practical energy storage applications.

Layer-by-layer assembling redox wood electrodes for efficient energy storage

The exploration of redox-active organic materials and low tortuous thick-electrodes is attractive for energy storage. The in-situ valorized lignin on raw wood surface accompanied by layer-by-layer deposition of electro-active materials endow such spatially distributed wood electrodes with high specific capacitance. Here, we report a layer-by-layer assembled ca.1.5 mm-thick redox wood hybrid electrode with 20 mg cm-2 electro-active mass loading for efficient energy storage. The in-situ modified surface lignin in treated wood (TrW) holds promise as redox-active material with enriched nanoporosity, carbonyl functionalities, and multi-phase ionic transport structure. The carbon nanotubes (CNTs) networking with in-situ polymerized polypyrrole (PPy) nanorods three-dimensionally in the lumen of TrW afford a wool-like, highly porous nanostructure. Such a hierarchical structured PPy@CNTs@TrW electrode offers a high areal capacitance of 1.46 F cm-2 with an extraordinary energy density of 0.983 mWh cm-3 (3.68 Wh kg-1) and power density of 5.4 mW cm-3 (20.25 W kg-1). Here, the valorized surface lignin contributes contributes to electrochemical energy storage accompanied by spatially distributed PPy@CNTs in low tortuous electrodes. The electrode offers extremely low electrochemical impedance of 0.61 Ω electrode resistance and 1.57 Ω electrolyte resistance. The hybrid wood electrode showcases even higher conductivity and energy/power density than thin carbonized wood and other state-of-the-art thin electrodes made of highly conductive three-dimensional networks. This work highlights the potential of in-situ valorized lignin in developing high-performance eco-friendly thick-electrodes for electrochemical energy storage applications.

Iron Triad-Based Bimetallic M–N–C Nanomaterials as Highly Active Bifunctional Oxygen Electrocatalysts

Iron Triad-Based Bimetallic M–N–C Nanomaterials as Highly Active Bifunctional Oxygen Electrocatalysts

Effect of electrolytes on supercapacitive behavior of cubic shaped pristine cuprous oxide synthesized via sol-gel approach

The present study uses the sol-gel approach to employ cuprous oxide (Cu2O) as an electrode material for the electrochemical energy storage application. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examines the structural and surface morphological characteristics of the synthesized material, and pure phase development is verified by the X-ray Diffraction (XRD) patterns. The synthesized material has a high value of specific capacitance, notable porosity, and a well-defined cubic shape. In the three-electrode set-up, the electrochemical analysis uses different aqueous electrolytes, i.e., KOH and NaOH. The electrochemical outcomes indicate that the synthesized material has a maximum specific capacitance (Cs) of 362.77 Fg-1 with excellent stability (104 %) in 6 M NaOH than KOH electrolyte (225 Fg-1). EIS data for Cu2O-based electrodes have been modeled using various equivalent circuits. The ESR value of Cu2O in NaOH electrolyte is much smaller (0.503 Ω) than in KOH electrolyte, indicating the creation of more active sites and enhanced accessibility of ions. Capacitive and diffusion current contributions are shown by using the Trassati and Dunn techniques. Thus, all our findings suggest that sol-gel synthesized pristine cuprous oxide is a potential option for energy storage gadgets.

In Situ Fabrication of Hierarchical CuO@CoNi-LDH Composite Structures for High-Performance Supercapacitors.

Layered double hydroxide (LDH) materials, despite their high theoretical capacity, exhibit significant performance degradation with increasing load due to their low conductivity. Simultaneously achieving both high capacity and high rate performance is challenging. Herein, we fabricated vertically aligned CuO nanowires in situ on the copper foam (CF) substrate by alkali-etching combined with the annealing process. Using this as a skeleton, electrochemical deposition technology was used to grow the amorphous α-phase CoNi-LDH nanosheets on its surface. Thanks to the high specific surface area of the CuO skeleton, ultrahigh loading (̃16.36 mg cm-2) was obtained in the fabricated CF/CuO@CoNi-LDH electrode with the cactus-like hierarchical structure, which enhanced the charge transfer and ion diffusion dynamics. The CF/CuO@CoNi-LDH electrode achieved a good combination of high areal capacitance (33.5 F cm-2) and high rate performance (61% capacitance retention as the current density increases 50 times). The assembled asymmetric supercapacitor device demonstrated a maximum potential window of 0-1.6 V and an energy density of 1.7 mWh cm-2 at a power density of 4 mW cm-2. This work provides a feasible strategy for the design and fabrication of high-mass-loading LDH composites for electrochemical energy storage applications.

Enhanced dye-sensitized solar cell performance and electrochemical capacitive behavior of bi-functional ZnO/NiO/Co3O4 ternary nanocomposite prepared by chemical co-precipitation method

Increasing prerequisites for sustainable energy storage and conversion technologies have necessitated the exploration of advanced materials with improved properties. Here, we present the synthesis and characterization of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs), ZnO/NiO, ZnO/Co3O4 and ZnO/NiO/Co3O4 NCs as promising bi-functional materials for dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) and electrochemical energy storage applications. A facile chemical co-precipitation approach was followed to synthesize pure ZnO NPs, ZnO/NiO, ZnO/Co3O4 and ZnO/NiO/Co3O4 NCs. The structural and morphological analyses revealed the successful integration of ZnO, NiO, and Co3O4 NPs and also the formation of well-defined core-shell and homogenous nanocomposite structures. The XRD and HRTEM analyses confirmed the crystalline nature and nanoscale morphology of synthesized materials, respectively. The photovoltaic performance of DSSC fabricated using ternary ZnO/NiO/Co3O4 NC photoanode showed optimum dye-loading and best solar to electrical energy conversion efficiency with Jsc of 11.29 mA cm−2 and ƞ of 4.66%, which was considerably higher than the DSSC fabricated using pure ZnO NPs photoanode (ƞ = 2.01%). The increment in photocurrent density (Jsc) could be ascribed to the perfect band alignment of NiO and Co3O4 NPs in the ternary NC. Further, the ZnO/NiO/Co3O4 NC photoanode integrated DSSC disclosed 97% retainment in energy conversion efficiency even after 10 days of operation. The electrochemical performance of supercapacitor fabricated using ternary ZnO/NiO/Co3O4 NC showed high specific capacitance of 534.7 Fg−1 at 1 Ag−1 with favourable rate ability (∼52% at 16 Ag−1), good cyclic stability (91.07%) and low internal resistance. Moreover, the ZnO/NiO/Co3O4 NC at a current density of 2 Ag−1 exhibited a significantly high capacitance value of 463.1 Fg−1, which was 1.93, 1.58 and 1.22 times greater than ZnO NPs, ZnO/Co3O4 NC and ZnO/NiO NC, respectively.

10 Years of Frontiers in materials: interface engineering for aqueous zinc-ion batteries

Aqueous Zinc Ion Batteries (ZIBs), characterized by their high theoretical capacity, cost-effectiveness, and robust safety profile, stand out as one of the most promising contenders for the next-generation of electrochemical energy storage applications. Nevertheless, the commercialization of ZIBs encounters obstacles of unsatisfactory energy density and suboptimal cycling stability, which are related to the unstable interfaces of Zn anodes and cathodes. Herein, the research advances in Zn anodes and cathode materials and corresponding interface engineering in recent years are systematically reviewed. The rationalization of these research can guide further investigations in the design of cathode/anode materials in ZIBs.