Anode surface engineering of zinc-ion batteries using tellurium nanobelt as a protective layer for enhancing energy storage performance

Over the years,zinc-ion batteries(ZIBs)have attracted attention as a promising next-generation energy storage technology because of their excellent safety,long cycling performance,eco-friendliness,and high-power density.However,issues,such as the corrosion and dissolution of the Zn anode,limited wet-tability,and lack of sufficient nucleation sites for Zn plating,have limited their practical application.The introduction of a protective layer comprising of tellurium(Te)nanobelts onto the surface of Zn anode has emerged as a promising approach to overcome these limitations and improve the electrochemical behav-ior by enhancing the safety and wettability of ZIBs,as well as providing numerous nucleation sites for Zn plating.In the presence of a Te-based protective layer,the energy power density of the surface-engineered Zn anode improved significantly(ranging from 310 to 144 W h kg^(-1),over a power density range of 270 to 1,800 W kg^(-1)),and the lifespan capability was extended.These results demonstrate that the proposed strategy of employing Te nanobelts as a protective layer holds great promise for enhancing the energy storage performance of zIBs,making them even more attractive as a viable energy storage solution forthefuture.

Reversible faradaic reactions involving redox mediators and oxygen-containing groups on carbon fiber electrode for high-performance flexible fibrous supercapacitors

Flexible fibrous supercapacitors(FFS)are taking account of as the energy storage devices for wearable electronics owing to their high power density,high safety,long cycle life,and simple manufacturing process.Nevertheless,FFSs have the disadvantage of low specific capacitance that results from the electrochemical characteristics of the electrical double layer on the carbon fiber electrode.In this study,for the first time,an FFS comprising surface-activated carbon fibers as an electrode/current collector and a redox additive gel polymer electrolyte(FFS-SARE)was fabricated for use as a wearable energy storage device.The FFS-SARE showed outstanding electrochemical performance,namely,high specific capacitances of 891 and 399 mF cm^(-2) at current densities of 70.0 and 400 μA cm^(-2),respectively,and remarkable ultrafast cycling stability over 5000 cycles with 92%capacitance retention at a current density of 400.0 μA cm^(-2).Moreover,they exhibited mechanical flexibility and had high feasibility,and they showed good energy storage performance that renders them suitable for use in wearable electronic textiles.