Phosphorus-based materials have emerged as promising high-capacity anodes for next-generation batteries due to their high theoretical capacity and suitable operating voltage. However, practical applications are hindered by intrinsic limitations such as poor electrical conductivity, significant volume expansion, and sluggish ion kinetics. This review presents an innovative dimension-based classification framework, including zero-dimensional (0D), one-dimensional (1D), two-dimensional (2D), and three-dimensional (3D) phosphorus allotropes, to systematically explore the structural characteristics, synthesis methods, and electrochemical properties. We highlight the critical role of composite strategies, particularly with carbon and other functional materials, in mitigating the above challenges and enhancing electrochemical performance. The review provides a comprehensive analysis of phosphorus-carbon composites, heteroatom doping, and interfacial design strategies for improving cycling stability and rate capability. Furthermore, we examine the synergistic effects of heterostructures formed between different phosphorus allotropes, which significantly improve charge transport, structural stability, and cycling durability. This review aims to provide an outlook for the current challenges and future directions for the development of phosphorus-based electrodes in lithium-ion, sodium-ion, and potassium-ion batteries, thus unlocking the potential of high-performance phosphorus.
Lithium–sulfur batteries are known as promising next-generation energy storage devices owing to their elevated theoretical energy density (∼2600 W h kg−1), cost-effectiveness, and environmental sustainability. Nonetheless, the issues of lithium polysulfide shuttle effect, considerable volume expansion, inadequate electrical conductivity, and slow redox kinetics have hindered their practical application. The use of high-entropy-stabilized oxides consisting of numerous different chemical elements that provide phase stabilization by a high configurational entropy presents an innovative and efficient approach to resolve these issues of lithium–sulfur batteries. Meanwhile, understanding of the unique properties and versatile applications of entropy-driven phases remain incomplete. This review not only offers a comprehensive examination on the entropy-driven phase structures of high-entropy-stabilized oxides but also highlights their application in improving the efficacy of sulfur composite cathodes in lithium–sulfur batteries batteries. The structural and electrochemical benefits of different types of high-entropy-stabilized oxides for use in lithium–sulfur batteries batteries are analyzed, elucidating their roles in enhancing sulfur usage, mitigating shuttle effects, and facilitating stable cycling. The analysis delineates prospective avenues in the synthesis, characterization, and system integration of lithium–sulfur batteries batteries, expediting the commercialization of high-entropy-stabilized oxide-based lithium–sulfur batteries battery technology.
Fish scales, as products of long-term natural evolution, are biomaterials featuring an intricate integration of inorganic and organic components, exhibiting species-specific multilayered micro-nano structures. Owing to its gradient mineralization, the scale shows a progressive decrease in hardness from the outer to the inner layer, which facilitates a continuous shift from rigidity to flexibility. This hierarchical structure provides important inspiration for the development of novel flexible biomimetic protective materials. Beyond structural design inspiration, the primary components of fish scales (e.g., hydroxyapatite, collagen) possess excellent biocompatibility and multifunctionality, endowing them with broad prospects across diverse fields including biomedicine, environmental remediation, energy storage, cosmetics, food, and agriculture. However, transforming this potential into practical use faces significant challenges. These arise from the technical contradiction of extracting key components efficiently while preserving their bioactivity, coupled with the industrial bottleneck of achieving both precise biomimetic reconstruction of their natural nanocomposite structure and scalable manufacturing. This review comprehensively summarizes recent advances in fish scales research, with a focus on their role as biomimetic models and functional applications, and critically discusses the challenges and future opportunities toward industrialization.
Unlike conventional electrochromic devices, Zinc anode-based electrochromic devices (ZECDs) ensure excellent charge balance between the electrochromic layer and Zn anode during the coloring/bleaching by reversible metal deposition/stripping on the Zn anode. Meanwhile, the inherent potential difference between the metal anode and the electrochromic layer can drive the spontaneous coloration/bleaching of ZECDs, featuring energy retrieval functionality. This review discusses the working mechanisms, performance indexes of ZECDs, and the impact of material selection on ZECD performance. Furthermore, we comprehensively summarize the latest research progress of ZECDs in energy storage, smart windows, and multicolor displays. We argue that using high-transparency zinc mesh, additive manufacturing processes, and self-healing electrochromic materials can significantly advance the commercialization of large-area ZECDs. Finally, “electrode-free” device structures, renewable or replaceable electrolytes, and strategies to suppress zinc dendrites are prospected to overcome cost-effectiveness and lifespan issues of ZECDs. This review aims at enabling more efficient and advanced ZECDs for multifunctional applications.
Large volume expansion upon (de)alloying faced by bismuth anodes always leads to severe capacity loss and poor durability for magnesium‐ion batteries. This failure mode becomes particularly pronounced under high current‐density impact, where the sluggish electron transport and ion diffusion across solid–solid and solid–liquid interfaces create a significant kinetic barrier. Therefore, we propose an interface engineering scheme driven by bulk doping. It involves incorporating boron (with matched electronegativity) into bismuth, aimed at enhancing Mg 2+ diffusion kinetics and solid‐electrolyte interphase (SEI) stability. Starting from the basic Bi‐Mg redox chemistry, the dual enhancement mechanism was unraveled. Density functional theory calculations and kinetic analyses revealed the origin of the high‐rate performance in Bi‐B electrodes. Furthermore, ex situ X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry analyses identified a SEI composed of organic species and inorganic components (MgF 2 /AlF 3 ), which supports the observed high‐rate durability at the material level. Finally, the Bi‐B anode exhibits remarkable rate capability, maintaining 167 mA h g −1 after 1000 cycles at high current density of 2 A g −1 , which represents one of the state‐of‐the‐art among all reported bismuth‐based anodes. Superior high‐rate performance is also achieved in Bi‐B||CuS full cell, highlighting its practical applicability. This study offers valuable insights for the design of high‐rate anodes, paving the way for the development of advanced alloy anodes in magnesium‐ion batteries.
