Quinones, which are ubiquitous in nature, can act as sustainable and green electrode materials but face dissolution in organic electrolytes, resulting in fast fading of capacity and short cycle life. We report that quinone electrodes, especially calix[4]quinone (C4Q) in rechargeable metal zinc batteries coupled with a cation-selective membrane using an aqueous electrolyte, exhibit a high capacity of 335 mA h g⁻¹ with an energy efficiency of 93% at 20 mA g⁻¹ and a long life of 1000 cycles with a capacity retention of 87% at 500 mA g⁻¹. The pouch zinc batteries with a respective depth of discharge of 89% (C4Q) and 49% (zinc anode) can deliver an energy density of 220 Wh kg⁻¹ by mass of both a C4Q cathode and a theoretical Zn anode. We also develop an electrostatic potential computing method to demonstrate that carbonyl groups are active centers of electrochemistry. Moreover, the structural evolution and dissolution behavior of active materials during discharge and charge processes are investigated by operando spectral techniques such as IR, Raman, and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopies. Our results show that batteries using quinone cathodes and metal anodes in aqueous electrolyte are reliable approaches for mass energy storage.

From basic research to industry process, battery energy storage systems have played a great role in the informatization, mobility, and intellectualization of modern human society. Some potential systems such as Li, Na, K, Mg, Zn, and Al secondary batteries have attracted much attention to maintain social progress and sustainable development. As one of the components in batteries, electrolytes play an important role in the upgrade and breakthrough of battery technology. Since room‐temperature ionic liquids (ILs) feature high conductivity, nonflammability, nonvolatility, high thermal stability, and wide electrochemical window, they have been widely applied in various battery systems and show great potential in improving battery stability, kinetics performance, energy density, service life, and safety. Thus, it is a right time to summarize these progresses. In this review, the composition and classification of various ILs and their recent applications as electrolytes in diverse metal‐ion batteries (Li, Na, K, Mg, Zn, Al) are outlined to enhance the battery performances.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with periodic channels and tunable chemical structures have been widely considered as promising electrode materials in rechargeable batteries. However, the design and construction of high‐performance COFs‐based electrodes still face some challenges in the introduction of multiple efficient redox centers as well as the reduction of dead mass. To address these issues, a unique COF containing double active centers (C═N and N═N) is developed as an anode in rechargeable lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). The as‐prepared COF displays excellent electrochemical performance due to its remarkable structural stability and the existence of many active groups. Meanwhile, its electrochemical performance is significantly better than that of the small molecule compound or the linear polymer with the same construction units. Even at a high current density of 5 A/g, the LIBs with COF electrodes remain at a high discharge capacity of 227 mAh/g after 2000 cycles. Moreover, the distinction in electrochemical performances of these three materials is further revealed by calculation. This study illustrates the importance of molecular structure design for improving the performance of organic electrodes.