Roadmap for rechargeable batteries:present and beyond

Rechargeable batteries currently hold the largest share of the electrochemical energy storage market,and they play a major role in the sustainable energy transition and industrial decarbonization to respond to global climate change.Due to the increased popularity of consumer electronics and electric vehicles,lithium-ion batteries have quickly become the most successful rechargeable batteries in the past three decades,yet growing demands in diversified application scenarios call for new types of rechargeable batteries.Tremendous efforts are made to developing the next-generation post-Li-ion rechargeable batteries,which include,but are not limited to solid-state batteries,lithium–sulfur batteries,sodium-/potassium-ion batteries,organic batteries,magnesium-/zinc-ion batteries,aqueous batteries and flow batteries.Despite the great achievements,challenges persist in precise understandings about the electrochemical reaction and charge transfer process,and optimal design of key materials and interfaces in a battery.This roadmap tends to provide an overview about the current research progress,key challenges and future prospects of various types of rechargeable batteries.New computational methods for materials development,and characterization techniques will also be discussed as they play an important role in battery research.

A review of solid-state lithium metal batteries through in-situ solidification

High-energy-density lithium metal batteries are the next-generation battery systems of choice,and replacing the flammable liquid electrolyte with a polymer solid-state electrolyte is a prominent conduct towards realizing the goal of high-safety and high-specific-energy devices.Unfortunately,the inherent intractable problems of poor solid-solid contacts between the electrode/electrolyte and the growth of Li dendrites hinder their practical applications.The in-situ solidification has demonstrated a variety of advantages in the application of polymer electrolytes and artificial interphase,including the design of integrated polymer electrolytes and asymmetric polymer electrolytes to enhance the compatibility of solid–solid contact and compatibility between various electrolytes,and the construction of artificial interphase between the Li anode and cathode to suppress the formation of Li dendrites and to enhance the high-voltage stability of polymer electrolytes.This review firstly elaborates the history of in-situ solidification for solid-state batteries,and then focuses on the synthetic methods of solidified electrolytes.Furthermore,the recent progress of in-situ solidification technology from both the design of polymer electrolytes and the construction of artificial interphase is summarized,and the importance of in-situ solidification technology in enhancing safety is emphasized.Finally,prospects,emerging challenges,and practical applications of in-situ solidification are envisioned.

Solid-state lithium-ion batteries for grid energy storage:opportunities and challenges

The energy crisis and environmental pollution drive more attention to the development and utilization of renewable energy.Considering the capricious nature of renewable energy resource,it has difficulty supplying electricity directly to consumers stably and efficiently,which calls for energy storage systems to collect energy and release electricity at peak periods.Due to their flexible power and energy,quick response,and high energy conversion efficiency,lithium-ion batteries stand out among multiple energy storage technologies and are rapidly deployed in the grid.Pursuing superior performance and ensuring the safety of energy storage systems,intrinsically safe solid-state electrolytes are expected as an ideal alternative to liquid electrolytes.In this review,we systematically evaluate the priorities and issues of traditional lithium-ion batteries in grid energy storage.Beyond lithium-ion batteries containing liquid electrolytes,solid-state lithium-ion batteries have the potential to play a more significant role in grid energy storage.The challenges of developing solid-state lithium-ion batteries,such as low ionic conductivity of the electrolyte,unstable electrode/electrolyte interface,and complicated fabrication process,are discussed in detail.Additionally,the safety of solid-state lithium-ion batteries is re-examined.Following the obtained insights,inspiring prospects for solid-state lithium-ion batteries in grid energy storage are depicted.

Layered oxide cathodes for sodium-ion batteries:microstructure design,local chemistry and structural unit

Because of the low price and abundant reserves of sodium compared with lithium,the research of sodium-ion batteries(SIBs)in the field of large-scale energy storage has returned to the research spotlight.Layered oxides distinguish themselves from the mains cathode materials of SIBs owing to their advantages such as high specific capacity,simple synthesis route,and environmental benignity.However,the commercial development of the layered oxides is limited by sluggish kinetics,complex phase transition and poor air stability.Based on the research ideas from macro-to micro-scale,this review systematically summarizes the current optimization strategies of sodium-ion layered oxide cathodes(SLOC)from different dimensions:microstructure design,local chemistry regulation and structural unit construction.In the dimension of microstructure design,the various structures such as the microspheres,nanoplates,nanowires and exposed active facets are prepared to improve the slow kinetics and electrochemical performance.Besides,from the view of local chemistry regulation by chemical element substitution,the intrinsic electron/ion properties of SLOC have been enhanced to strengthen the structural stability.Furthermore,the optimization idea of endeavors to regulate the physical and chemical properties of cathode materials essentially is put forward from the dimension of structural unit construction.The opinions and strategies proposed in this review will provide some inspirations for the design of new SLOC in the future.

Post lithium-sulfur battery era:challenges and opportunities towards practical application

Lithium-sulfur(Li-S)batteries have been regarded as a promising next-generation energy storage system owing to the high theoretical energy density and natural abundance of sulfur.Abundant fundamental researches have pushed the flourishing development on electrochemical behaviors in recent 20 years.It is time to evolve into post-Li-S battery era with the pursuit towards practical application.During the landmark leap,numerous new challenges appear under harsh conditions,such as high sulfur loading,low cathode density,lean electrolyte and limited lithium reservoir.Herein,we summarize the considerable parameters of pouch Li-S cells and review the pioneering studies focused on the cathode structure,conversion kinetics,electrode interphase and battery safety.The interwoven relationship of these key points is concluded and discussed,which provides guidance to future researches aiming to safe and long-lifespan Li-S batteries with high energy density.

“In-N-out” design enabling high-content triethyl phosphate-based non-flammable and high-conductivity electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries

Safety issues related to flammable electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries(LIBs) remain a major challenge for their extended applications.The use of non-flammable phosphate-based electrolytes has proved the validity in inhibiting the combustion of LIBs.However,the strong interaction between Li^(+) and phosphate leads to a dominant solid electrolyte interphase(SEI) with limited electronic shielding,resulting in the poor Li^(+) intercalation at the graphite(Gr) anode when using high-phosphate-content electrolytes.To mitigate this issue and improve Li^(+) insertion,we propose an “In-N-Out” strategy to render phosphates “noncoordinative”.By employing a combination of strongly polar solvents for a “block effect” and weakly polar solvents for a “drag effect”,we reduce the Li^(+)–phosphate interaction.As a result,phosphates remain in the electrolyte phase(“In”),minimizing their impact on the incompatibility with the Gr electrode(“Out”).We have developed a non-flammable electrolyte with high triethyl phosphate(TEP) content(>60 wt.%),demonstrating the excellent ion conductivity(5.94 mS cm^(-1) at 30 ℃) and reversible Li^(+) intercalation at a standard concentration(~1 mol L^(-1)).This approach enables the manipulation of multiple electrolyte functions and holds the promise for the development of safe electrochemical energy storage systems using non-flammable electrolytes.

Metal/covalent organic frameworks for aqueous rechargeable zinc-ion batteries

Lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)have become one of the most successful energy storage systems due to their high operating voltage,high energy density,and long cycle life.However,with the widespread use of LIBs in recent decades,lithium resources are at risk of being exhausted.Therefore,it is necessary to find a substitute for LIBs to meet the needs of future large-scale energy storage systems.Because of their competitiveness,low cost,and high safety,aqueous rechargeable zinc-ion batteries(ARZIBs)are regarded as promising components in the post-lithium-ion-battery era.Given the tunable composition,ordered porous channels,and controllable structure of metal-organic frameworks(MOFs)and covalent organic frameworks(COFs),these frameworks are viewed as potential materials for developing high-performance ARZIBs.In this review,we focus on the recent developments in the applications of MOF-/COF-based materials in ARZIBs,including in electrode materials,anode modifications,separators,and solid electrolytes.We then focus on the critical factors and optimization techniques of MOF-/COF-based materials that affect the performance of ARZIBs.Finally,we conclude with some projections for the expansion of ARZIBs containing MOF-/COF-based materials.

N-Heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed enantioselective(dynamic) kinetic resolutions and desymmetrizations

N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed enantioselective kinetic resolutions,dynamic kinetic resolutions,and desymmetrization reactions are systematically reviewed.The content is organized according to the activation modes involved in these transformations.Future advances within this highly active research field are discussed from our perspectives on the topic.

Design strategies for rechargeable aqueous metal-ion batteries

Rechargeable aqueous metal-ion batteries(AMBs)have attracted extensive scientific and commercial interest due to their potential for cost-effective,highly safe,and scalable stationary energy storage.However,their limited output voltage,inadequate energy density,and poor reversibility of ambiguous electrode reactions in aqueous electrolytes strongly limit their practical viability.This review aims to elucidate the challenges of existing AMBs from the material design to whole device applications.We summarize the emerging electrochemistry,fundamental properties,and key issues in interfacial behaviors of various classes of prevailing AMBs,including aqueous alkali metal-ion batteries and multivalent-ion batteries,and present an appraisal of recent advances for addressing the performance deficiency.Specifically,the progress of zinc-ion batteries is highlighted to provide a ubiquitous guideline for their commercialization in the grid-scale energy storage.Finally,we figure out the dominating general challenges for achieving high-performance AMBs,laying out a perspective for future breakthroughs.

A flame-retardant binder with high polysulfide affinity for safe and stable lithium–sulfur batteries

Lithium-sulfur(Li-S) batteries have shown promises for the next-generation, high-energy electrochemical storage, yet are hindered by rapid performance decay due to the polysulfide shuttle in the cathode and safety concerns about potential thermal runaway. To address the above challenges, herein, we show a flame-retardant cathode binder that simultaneously improves the electrochemical stability and safety of batteries. The combination of soft and hard segments in the polymer framework of binders allows high flexibility and mechanical strength for adapting to the drastic volume change during the Li(de)intercalation of the S cathode. The binder contains a large number of polar groups, which show the high affinity to polysulfides so that they help to anchor active S species at the cathode. These polar groups also help to regulate and facilitate the Li-ion transport, promoting the kinetics of polysulfide conversion reaction. The binder contains abundant phosphine oxide groups, which, in the case of battery's thermal runaway, decompose and release PO· radicals to quench the combustion reactions and stop the fire. Consequently, Li-S batteries using the new cathode binder show the improved electrochemical performance, including a low-capacity decay of 0.046% per cycle for 800 cycles at 1 C and favorable rate capabilities of up to 3 C. This work offers new insights on the practical realization of high-energy rechargeable batteries with stable storage electrochemistry and high safety.

Perspective of alkaline zinc-based flow batteries

Energy storage technologies have been identified as the key in constructing new electric power systems and achieving carbon neutrality,as they can absorb and smooth the renewables-generated electricity.Alkaline zinc-based flow batteries are well suitable for stationary energy storage applications,since they feature the advantages of high safety,high cell voltage and low cost.Currently,many alkaline zinc-based flow batteries have been proposed and developed,e.g.,the alkaline zinc–iron flow battery and alkaline zinc–nickel flow battery.Their development and application are closely related to advanced materials and battery configurations.In this perspective,we will first provide a brief introduction and discussion of alkaline zinc-based flow batteries.Then we focus on these batteries from the perspective of their current status,challenges and prospects.The bottlenecks for these batteries are briefly analyzed.Combined with the practical requirements and development trends of alkaline zinc-based flow battery technologies,their future development and research direction will be summarized.

Progress and perspective on rechargeable magnesium-ion batteries

Current electrochemical energy storage technology has evolved a variety of rechargeable battery systems.Recently,the resource shortage of raw materials in commercially available lithium-ion batteries has attracted widespread attention.The requirements to meet resourcefulness,sustainability,safety,and high energy density have motivated the development of rechargeable magnesium-ion batteries(RMBs).Although RMBs have made significant progress so far,there are still many obstacles to practical orientation.We systematically summarize the significant progress and the latest research on RMBs,including Mg^(2+)-conducting electrolytes,Mg^(2+)-storage cathodes,and Mg-based anodes.In this review,we mainly introduce the properties and features of various Mg^(2+)-conductive electrolytes,the mainstream cathode materials,and their respective Mg^(2+)-storage mechanisms,as well as the Mg metal(or alloy)anodes and the corresponding modification strategies.Finally,the future directions in various key components for RMBs are highlighted.

Recent progress in side chain engineering of Y-series non-fullerene molecule and polymer acceptors

Organic solar cells(OSCs) have drawn considerable attention in the last decade due to the great potential of light weight,flexibility, and low-cost solution processing. Particularly, Y-series non-fullerene acceptors(NFAs) including small molecular acceptors(SMAs) and polymerized small molecular acceptors(PSMAs) have become research hot spots due to their excellent power conversion efficiency. Side chain engineering is crucial to adjust the solubility and crystallinity of NFAs, which will significantly affect the morphology of active layers and the efficiency of OSCs. However, the understanding of side chain engineering on NFAs is still limited and lacks a systematic review. This review aims to provide a brief summary of the recent developments in side chain engineering of NFAs, with a special focus on the design and application of Y-series SMAs and PSMAs for high-efficiency non-fullerene organic solar cells(NF-OSCs). In addition, the review also points out challenges and provides useful guidance regarding side chain regulation for Y-series NFAs.

A highly reduced Mo_(74) polyoxometalate featuring high proton conductivity accessed by building block strategy

Highly reduced polyoxometalates(POMs) are predicted to be used as rather high energy density materials;however,it still suffers from the limited cluster species and reduction ratio.Here we demonstrate that it is possible to employ the building block strategy to generate a highly reduced polyoxomolybdate(C_(2)H_(8)N)_(14)(NH_(4))_(4)H_(14)[Mo_(48)-ⅤMo_(26)ⅥO_(202)(OH)_(12)(SO_(4))_(6)]·46H_(2)O(Mo_(74)).The fundamental Mo-based{Mo_x}(x=4,5,and 6) building blocks,which are templated by tetra-coordinated anions{MoO_(4)}or{SO_(4)},not only lay foundation for the formation of Mo_(74) featuring an unprecedented reduction ratio of 65%,but also give rise to SBBs-mediated(secondary building blocks) supramolecular dense packing interactions among the isolated Mo_(74) clusters that are favorable for proton conduction.Remarkably,high proton conductivity(2.04×10^(-2)S cm^(-1)) had been realized at 50℃ and 90% relative humidity,revealing one of the well-known POMs-based crystalline proton conducting materials.This result highlights that this building block approach possesses great potential in producing highly reduced POM systems that can achieve controllable reduced ratio and desirable properties.

Illuminating spin-crossover octanuclear metal-organic cages

Spin-crossover(SCO)materials that reversibly switch between high-and low-spin states have potential for the storage of spin state-relative information,and have gained much attention incorporating secondary physical properties,such as fluorescence and magneto-optical switching.In this study,we synthesized three octanuclear metal-organic cages(MOCs)using tetraphenylethylene-based luminophores,aldehydes,and Fe^(Ⅱ)salts,by subcomponent self-assembly approach,namely[Fe1]-[Fe3].By controlling the ligand-field strength and guest encapsulation,we finely tuned their SCO properties.Among them,MOC[Fe2]displayed nearly complete SCO behavior in the solid state,which is rare for high-nuclearity complexes.We also demonstrated the coupling of SCO with fluorescence emission in these MOCs by using isostructural Zn^(Ⅱ)complexes([Zn1]-[Zn3])as control experiments,for the first time.Theoretical calculations revealed the energy-transfer mechanism between fluorophores and SCOactive centers,which emphasizes the significant contribution of d-d transitions in the interplay between the occurrence of SCO and fluorescence emission.

Ligand-controlled NiH-catalyzed regiodivergent hydroalkylation of 2-alkenylazaarenes

A nickel-hydride(Ni H)-catalyzed migratory and nonmigratory hydroalkylation reaction of 2-alkenyl azaarenes with alkyl iodines has been established through strategic modulation of N-or P-donor ligands.This method enables the synthesis of diverseβ-orγ-branched aromatic N-heterocycles.The mild regiodivergent protocols exhibit wide substrate scope,excellent functional tolerance,and great reaction yield with remarkable regioselectivity.Importantly,deuterium labeling studies reveal Ni H-catalyzed interrupted chain-walking mode as the mechanism behind remotedβ-selective hydroalkylation reaction—an interesting phenomenon mediated through aromatic imine directing groups.

SO_(2)-Insertion induced enantioselective oxysulfonylation to access β-chiral sulfones with quaternary carbon stereocenters

β-Chiral sulfones are structural motifs widely found in natural products and bioactive molecules, while also serving as important intermediates for the synthesis of valuable chiral scaffolds. In contrast to the rapid growth of sulfur dioxide insertion chemistry over the last decade, enantioselective catalytic variants for accessing β-chiral sulfones, especially those bearing a quaternary carbon stereocenter, remain rare. Herein, we report an enantioselective copper/bisoxazoline catalyzed oxysulfonylation of alkenes to yield isoxazolinyl-containing β-chiral sulfones bearing quaternary carbon stereocenters with moderate to excellent yields and up to 96:4 er. The advantage and irreplaceability of this sulfur dioxide insertion catalytic system have been demonstrated by achieving transformations clearly unavailable with the previously reported sulfonyl chloride system. Additionally,the recoverability of the new-developed bisoxazoline ligand L9 and its reusability without any erosion of the catalytic activity and enantioselectivity further demonstrate the usefulness of the protocol.

New strategies for asymmetric photocatalysis: asymmetric organocatalytic/photoredox relay catalysis for efficient synthesis of polycyclic compounds containing vicinal amino alcohols

An asymmetric catalytic strategy in photocatalysis utilizing a chirality-induced approach through an organocatalytic/photoredox relay catalysis strategy is successfully achieved for the rapid construction of polycyclic compounds containing vicinal amino alcohols in a one-pot protocol. This methodology facilitates the efficient synthesis of diverse substituted polycyclic tetrahydroquinoline and benzofuran-derived vicinal amino alcohols, each containing five consecutive chiral centers, with high yields,excellent diastereoselectivities and enantioselectivities(up to 95% yield, >20:1 dr and 98% ee), under mild reaction conditions driven by sequential bifunctional squaramide organocatalyst-catalyzed [4+2] annulation and photocatalyst-catalyzed ketyl radical addition cyclization reaction process. Furthermore, investigations into the stereoselectivity mechanism and high-resolution mass spectrometry(HRMS) experiments on free radical trapping have provided evidence for elucidating the detailed mechanism of chirality-induced processes and chiral intermediate conversions in this procedure.

Electrochemical radical-polar crossover:a radical approach to polar chemistry

Radical-polar crossover(RPC) reaction bridges the gap between one-and two-electron reactivities,thus providing an ideal solution to overcome the limitations of both radical and polar chemistry.In this manifold,organic electrochemistry provides a uniquely facile strategy to access a diverse array of radical intermediates,thus broadening the chemical space of the RPC concept.This review highlights the synthetic advances in the field of electrochemical RPC reactions since 2020,with an emphasis on the substrate scope,reaction limitation and mechanistic aspect.The related RPC reactions are categorized as netoxidative,net-reductive,or redox neutral transformations.

Strengthening and toughening styrene-butadiene rubber by mechanically interlocked cross-links

Styrene-butadiene rubber(SBR)is an indispensable material in modern society,and the necessity for enhanced mechanical properties in SBR persists,particularly to withstand the rigors of challenging environmental conditions.To surmount the limitations of conventional cross-linking modes,mechanical bonds stabilized by host-guest recognition are incorporated as the cross-linking points of SBR to form mechanically interlocked networks(MINs).Compared with covalently cross-linked network,the representative MIN exhibits superior mechanical performance in terms of elongation(1392%)and breaking strength(4.6 MPa),whose toughness has surged by 17 times.Dissociation of host-guest recognition and subsequent sliding motion provide an effective energy dissipation mechanism,and the release of hidden length is also beneficial to enhance toughness.Furthermore,the introduction of the rotaxane cross-links made the network more pliable and possess damping and elastic properties,which can return to initial state with one minute rest interval.We aspire that this direct introduction method can serve as a blueprint,offering valuable insights for the enhancement of mechanical properties in conventional commercial polymer materials.