Aqueous zinc‐ion batteries have drawn increasing attention due to the intrinsic safety, cost‐effectiveness and high energy density. However, parasitic reactions and non‐uniform dendrite growth on the Zn anode side impede their application. Herein, a multifunctional additive, ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (NHP), is introduced to regulate uniform zinc deposition and to suppress side reactions. The results show that the NH₄⁺tends to be preferably absorbed on the Zn surface to form a “shielding effect” and blocks the direct contact of water with Zn. Moreover, NH₄⁺and (H₂PO₄)⁻jointly maintain pH values of the electrode‐electrolyte interface. Consequently, the NHP additive enables highly reversible Zn plating/stripping behaviors in Zn//Zn and Zn//Cu cells. Furthermore, the electrochemical performances of Zn//MnO₂full cells and Zn//active carbon (AC) capacitors are improved. This work provides an efficient and general strategy for modifying Zn plating/stripping behaviors and suppressing side reactions in mild aqueous electrolyte.

Owing to the development of aqueous rechargeable zinc‐ion batteries (ZIBs), flexible ZIBs are deemed as potential candidates to power wearable electronics. ZIBs with solid‐state polymer electrolytes can not only maintain additional load‐bearing properties, but exhibit enhanced electrochemical properties by preventing dendrite formation and inhibiting cathode dissolution. Substantial efforts have been applied to polymer electrolytes by developing solid polymer electrolytes, hydrogel polymer electrolytes, and hybrid polymer electrolytes; however, the research of polymer electrolytes for ZIBs is still immature. Herein, the recent progress in polymer electrolytes is summarized by category for flexible ZIBs, especially hydrogel electrolytes, including their synthesis and characterization. Aiming to provide an insight from lab research to commercialization, the relevant challenges, device configurations, and life cycle analysis are consolidated. As flexible batteries, the majority of polymer electrolytes exploited so far only emphasizes the electrochemical performance but the mechanical behavior and interactions with the electrode materials have hardly been considered. Hence, strategies of combining softness and strength and the integration with electrodes are discussed for flexible ZIBs. A ranking index, combining both electrochemical and mechanical properties, is introduced. Future research directions are also covered to guide research toward the commercialization of flexible ZIBs.

Aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (AZIBs) have experienced a rapid surge in popularity, as evident from the extensive research with over 30 000 articles published in the past 5 years. Previous studies on AZIBs have showcased impressive long‐cycle stability at high current densities, achieving thousands or tens of thousands of cycles. However, the practical stability of AZIBs at low current densities (<1C) is restricted to merely 50–100 cycles due to intensified cathode dissolution. This genuine limitation poses a considerable challenge to their transition from the laboratory to the industry. In this study, leveraging density functional theory (DFT) calculations, an artificial interphase that achieves both hydrophobicity and restriction of the outward penetration of dissolved vanadium cations, thereby shifting the reaction equilibrium and suppressing the vanadium dissolution following Le Chatelier's principle, is described. The approach has resulted in one of the best cycling stabilities to date, with no noticeable capacity fading after more than 200 cycles (≈720 h) at 200 mA g⁻¹ (0.47C). These findings represent a significant advance in the design of ultrastable cathodes for aqueous batteries and accelerate the industrialization of aqueous zinc‐ion batteries.

This review provides an overview on Pd-based electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) through the scientometric analysis and critical review methods. The main focus is on activity regulation and synthetic methods.

A hydrated deep eutectic electrolyte with a water-deficient solvation structure and reduced free water in bulk solution is proposed, resulting in highly reversible and stable Zn anodes.