Aqueous zinc-iodine (Zn-I2) batteries have the advantages of low cost, high specific capacity, and high energy density, but they face challenges like the shuttle effect of polyiodide intermediates and slow redox kinetics. Herein, the phosphorus-positive porous aromatic framework (PAF-182) is first proposed as the iodine cathode additive, which can capture and confine polyiodides due to the proper pore size and the unique P+ site on the backbone. Both experimental and theoretical studies reveal that the robust electrostatic interaction inhibits the shuttling effect of polyiodides and localizes the iodine redox reaction on the cathode, favoring rapid redox kinetics. As a result, the Zn-I2 batteries with PAF-182 deliver the high specific capacity of 227.2 mA h g-1 at 0.05 A g-1 and retain 80.35% capacity after 20000 cycles at 2 A g-1. This work paves the way for the application of porous aromatic frameworks in Zn-I2 batteries and the realization of next-generation high-performance Zn-I2 batteries.

Room-temperature sodium-sulfur polyacrylonitrile (SPAN) batteries are regarded as promising energy storage technology due to their high energy density, low cost, and high safety. However, dendrite growth in sodium anodes and dissolution shuttling effects in sulfur cathodes hinder their practical application. Here, we designed and achieved a solvation structure dominated by tridentate coordination by regulating the solvation configuration between sodium ions and diglyme through solvation strategies. The results indicate that the tridentate solvation structure not only reduces the dissolution shuttling of sodium polysulfide but also promotes the formation of a stable double-layer inorganic electrolyte interface on the surface of the Na anode. The Na-SPAN batteries achieved a high capacity retention of 97.46% after 1138 cycles and a calendar life exceeding 1 year at room temperature. Moreover, assembled Na-SPAN batteries maintained 94.7% of their initial capacity after 445 cycles at 50°C. This work provides a well-designed electrolyte principle for constructing a low-cost, long-cycle-life room-temperature Na-SPAN battery.

Sulfide-based all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) are promising for next-generation energy storage due to their high energy density and intrinsic safety, yet their practical deployment is limited by the high cost of sulfide electrolytes, poor air stability, and interfacial degradation with nickel-rich cathodes. Here, a scalable and cost-effective BaTiO3 (BTO) nanocoating strategy for Li5.5PS4.5Cl1.5 (LPSC1.5) electrolytes is presented, achieved through a rapid 10min ball-milling process. The uniform ∼100nm BTO layer reduces electrolyte cost by approximately 8.1% while maintaining high ionic conductivity (8.81mScm-1). The coating significantly enhances air stability by suppressing H2S evolution and preserving conductivity after exposure. Combined experimental and finite element analyses reveal that the BTO layer homogenizes charge distribution, inhibits space-charge layer formation, and mitigates interfacial side reactions, leading to improved electrochemical and mechanical robustness. When paired with PCNCM83 cathodes, the modified electrolytes enable ASSBs with exceptional rate capability and ultralong cycling stability exceeding 10000 cycles at 7 C. This universal nanocoating approach is compatible with various sulfide electrolytes and cathode chemistries, offering a viable pathway toward the scalable commercialization of high-performance solid-state batteries.

Abstract A scalable electrochemical synthesis strategy utilizing a three-compartment cell is reported for the controlled production of nickel carbonate hydroxide. By employing selective ion transport through cation and anion exchange membranes, this approach enables the precise regulation of potential and exposure to generate a poorly crystalline, monoclinic phase. To validate the electrochemical quality of the synthesized material, it was evaluated as a positive electrode in an asymmetric supercapacitor using a TEATFB/acetonitrile electrolyte. The device exhibited distinct pseudocapacitive behaviour and exceptional durability, retaining over 80% of its initial capacity after 10,000 cycles at 5 A/g. These results highlight the efficacy of this compartmentalized electrochemical method in producing robust transition metal carbonates that deliver high energy density and competitive power for advanced energy storage applications.

Construction and applications of methanol bio-converting cell factories.

Medium-entropy-designed δ-MnO2 cathode for high-performance aqueous zinc-ion battery.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are promising next-generation energy storage systems due to their high energy density and low cost of sulfur. However, their commercialization is hindered by the shuttle effect of soluble polysulfides and the poor rate capability, which are further exacerbated under practical conditions of low negative/positive (N/P) ratio and electrolyte/sulfur (E/S) ratio necessary for high-energy and cost-effective Li-S batteries. To address these challenges, we report the fabrication of a large-area (9.5cm×7.5cm), ultrathin (90nm), lightweight (0.05mgcm-2), and conductive PFSA/CNT/PEDOT:TCB (PCP) composite interlayer via the solution shearing technique coupled with Marangoni-flow-assisted film transfer, enabling uniform film formation and facile transfer of the interlayer onto a polypropylene (PP) separator. In addition to providing efficient electronic pathways, the PCP interlayer improves ionic conductivity and mitigates polysulfide shuttling through electrostatic repulsion and physical size exclusion, as validated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. These combined functionalities allow the PCP interlayer to overcome key challenges in Li-S batteries, leading to a 3×5cm2 pouch-type cell that delivers a high initial discharge capacity of 1086mAhg-1 over 68 cycles under practical conditions of E/S = 5µLmg-1 and N/P ratio = 1.3.

High energy density quasi-solid-state lithium-ion batteries: dry electrode process and gel polymer electrolyte securing 4.5 V stable high-loading cathode technology

Metal organic framework derivatives as matched positive and negative electrodes for high energy and power density asymmetric supercapacitors

Multi-scale structural regulation of polymer-ceramic nanocomposites for high energy density capacitor design

Synergistic pairing of corn silk-derived carbon with Cu-Ag-PC@MnS-NiS2 for high energy density supercapacitors

Dual-coordination electrolyte additive to achieve high energy density 4-electron aqueous zinc iodine battery

Fe and Ti co-doped LiCoPO4 as High-voltage Cathode Materials for Lithium-ion Batteries.

Enhanced electroactivity and diffusion by cobalt atomic clusters impregnated in biomass-derived porous carbon for room temperature Na-S batteries.

Tailored vanadium diselenide nanoflowers doped with transition metals (Co, Mo, W) for high-energy density flexible supercapacitor devices

The voltage hysteresis and sluggish kinetics of Mn-based mixed phosphate cathode significantly hinder their development and application. Herein, this work fabricates a heterogeneous composite cathode (NFMVP (9-1)-rGO) with a built-in electric field and accelerated electronic pathway. As the key kinetic driving force, the built-in electric field, can selectively promote the diffusion of Na+ in the Na3MnFe(PO4)P2O7 phase while simultaneously suppress the structural degradation of the Na4MnV(PO4)3 phase caused by the "avalanche extraction" of Na+ under high-voltage. The introduction of the dual-carbon layer further establishes a robust conductive framework throughout the electrode. Crucially, in situ electrochemical impedance spectra based on distribution relaxation time reveal that the built-in electric field modulates the phase transition mechanism from a two-phase reaction to a solid-solution behavior in the high-voltage region, significantly accelerating the reaction kinetics and greatly suppressing voltage hysteresis. As a result, NFMVP (9-1)-rGO exhibits excellent capacity delivery (120.2 mAh g-1), high practical energy density (378.3Wh kg-1), and outstanding long-term cycling stability. Our findings enlighten a new paradigm in the kinetic driving force from built-in electric field and the phase transition regulation mechanism in heterogeneous structures toward high-energy Mn-based sodium-ion batteries.

ABSTRACT Replacing nitramine explosives like RDX with high-energy compound of CL-20 in composite propellant formulations results in undesirable combustion characteristics, including a sharp increase in burn rate at high pressures and elevated pressure exponents. To address this issue, this study aims to mitigate the pressure sensitivity of the burn rate while preserving high energy density of solid propellants. Two types of energetic burn rate reduction catalysts – graphene-based carbonylhydrazine complexes (GO-CHZ-N, N = Co, Ni) and triaminoguanidine-glyoxal complexes (TAGP-M, M = Ba, K) – were incorporated into CL-20 crystals via spray drying method to achieve precise catalytic modification, consequently the required additive loaded in propellant formulations for tuning combustion behaviors can be reduced. The investigation focused on elucidating the influence of these burn rate reduction catalysts on the thermal decomposition behavior of CL-20, which determines the combustion performance of propellant significantly. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses indicated a significant positive catalytic effect in the thermal decomposition of CL-20, with TAGP-Ba exhibiting the most pronounced effect. Furthermore, the CL-20/catalyst composites were used to coat aluminum powders, improving combustion efficiency and mitigating agglomeration associated with low burn rates in conventional formulations. Four types of catalytically tailored Al@CL-20 composites with high combustion efficiency were successfully fabricated. Notably, the catalysts exhibited an inhibitory effect on the thermal decomposition of the Al@CL-20 composites, with TAGP-K showing the strongest suppressive performance. In addition, catalysts regulate the combustion behavior by influencing the decomposition process of CL-20. The incorporation of TAGP-Ba and TAGP-K was observed to diminish the particle ejection during combustion, through the flame structure captured by the high-speed camera. Within the tested pressure range, the Al@CL-20-Ba and Al@CL-20-Co composites demonstrated an effective burn rate deceleration and low-pressure sensitivity, highlighting their potential for tailoring combustion behavior in advanced solid propellants.

The conversion of low-cost, widely available, and renewable agricultural and forestry biomass waste into high-performance electrode materials for supercapacitors has attracted significant research interest. In this study, bamboo was used as a raw material to prepare bamboo-derived activated carbon (BAC) and nitrogen-doped biomass activated carbon (N-BAC) via a two-step process involving carbonization and KOH activation. The obtained materials were subsequently evaluated as electrode materials for supercapacitors. The effects of carbonization temperature and time, activation temperature and time, and impregnation ratio on the structural properties and iodine adsorption capacity of the activated carbons were systematically examined. The results revealed that all process parameters influenced the iodine adsorption value of the samples in a volcano-type trend. The BAC prepared under optimized conditions (carbonization at 600 °C for 60 min, activation at 850 °C for 60 min, and an impregnation ratio of 6:1) exhibited the highest specific surface area (3013.30 m2/g), a total pore volume of 1.5813 cm3/g, and an average pore diameter of 2.0992 nm. Although nitrogen doping slightly reduced the specific surface area and pore volume of BAC, the introduced nitrogen-containing functional groups participated in redox reactions with the electrolyte, leading to a significant enhancement in the electrochemical performance of N-BAC. In a 6.0 M KOH electrolyte at a scan rate of 0.01 V/s, the specific capacitance of N-BAC reached 288.8 F/g, exceeding that of the optimized BAC (180.85 F/g). The supercapacitor assembled with N-BAC demonstrated a high energy density of 14.4 Wh/kg at a power density of 73.1 W/kg in aqueous electrolyte, the specific capacitance retention rate is about 90.3% after 5000 cycles between −1.2 V and 0 V at a scan rate of 10 mV/s. Overall, this work successfully developed high-performance supercapacitor electrode materials, providing a promising approach for the high-value utilization of biomass resources.

Abstract Vortex generators (VGs) are small vanes typically placed on aircraft aerodynamic surfaces (e.g., wings and vertical stabilizers) to delay flow separation and stalling and increase control surface authority (e.g., ailerons, flaps, and rudder control). Although they are essential for certain scenarios and flight conditions, such as low-speed take-off and landing, VGs are typically not required for the entire flight profile. Despite this, VGs are traditionally static and always deployed, thus adding drag and fuel consumption over the entire flight profile. The static nature of standard VGs stems from the inability to integrate conventional actuators due to mass, complexity, or footprint constraints given the VGs' small size and placement on outer surfaces of the aircraft. Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are capable of high energy density actuation to enable reconfigurability of such devices with minimal added mass, volume and complexity. Additionally, SMAs can be passively used as sensors and actuators without the need for heaters, active controls, or additional instrumentation, if finely "tuned" to respond to altitude temperature differentials.Recently, environmentally activated SMA reconfigurable technology vortex generators (SMART-VGs) were developed and successfully flight tested on the 2019 Boeing ecoDemonstrator airplane, a 777-200ER (Extended Range). This work is presented as a series of two manuscripts, covering the requirements, concept of operation, SMA development and characterization, device design, integration, and flight testing.Part I, presented here, is focused on the material development of low-temperature SMAs for environmentally activating VGs based on temperature changes between ground and cruise altitudes. For context, the background, concept of operation and some requirements will also be introduced. Starting with a binary NiTi alloy, the addition of low levels of Hf (~2 at.%) were critical in tuning the transformation temperatures to match a typical commercial flight profile with standard day temperatures, bound between a martensite and austenite finish of -50 and 0 °C, respectively. Additionally, Hf helped stabilize the alloy's response during training in torsion, resulting in low accumulation of residual strains, while promoting very large shear strains of over 6%. The alloy formulation, microstructure, and resulting thermomechanical behavior are presented.

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) help meet the growing global demand for sustainable energy storage due to their high energy density, portability, and rechargeability. As a key component of secondary battery systems, the anode material largely determines their overall performance. However, commercial graphite is limited by its low theoretical capacity (372 mAh·g-1) and poor Na+ storage capacity, necessitating the exploration of alternative anode materials. Among the numerous candidate materials, iron-based compounds (including oxides, sulfides, and porous materials derived from metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)) stand out due to their high theoretical specific capacity, natural abundance, and environmental friendliness. However, severe volume expansion and structural instability during repeated charge-discharge cycles lead to rapid capacity decay, severely hindering their practical application. This review systematically summarizes the recent progress in iron-based compounds as anodes for LIBs and SIBs. The electrochemical properties of iron oxides, iron sulfides, and porous iron-based derivatives are highlighted, with particular attention paid to the challenges posed by volume expansion. Furthermore, a comprehensive analysis of the strategies developed to mitigate volume expansion, such as nanostructure design, carbon composites, hollow/porous structure engineering, and interface optimization, is presented. Finally, current limitations and future research opportunities are outlined, aiming to provide guidance for the rational design of high-performance iron-based anode materials for next-generation rechargeable batteries.