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Both endogenous and exogenous signaling pathways are involved in the maintenance of self-renewal and pluripotency of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). Here, the authors uncover that endogenous VEGF signaling safeguards pluripotency and prevents extra-embryonic differentiation in primed hESCs via activation of transcription factor NANOG and suppression of BMP signaling activity.

The inclusion of a Mg–Bi-based interlayer between the lithium metal and solid electrolyte and a F-rich interlayer on the cathode improves the stability and performance of solid-state lithium-metal batteries.

Batteries with solid polymer electrolytes face challenges in electrochemical stability and compatibility with high-voltage cathodes. Chunsheng Wang and colleagues have developed a polymer blend with a high Li salt concentration that enhances the stability of solid polymer electrolytes and achieves promising electrochemical performance in full-cell applications.

Micro-sized alloying anodes in Li-ion batteries cost less and offer higher capacity than graphite but suffer from cyclability issues. Chunsheng Wang and colleagues develop asymmetric electrolytes for micro-sized Si, Al, Sn and Bi anodes using solvent-free ionic liquids and molecular solvents to tackle the issue.

The success of Li batteries relies on electrolyte reduction at anodes for interphase formation, yet controlled interphase formation on high-energy cathodes has proven challenging. Now it has been shown that a bimolecular nucleophilic substitution-assisted strategy advances both primary and secondary batteries by regulating the electrolyte reduction potential and interphase passivation capability.

Silicon anodes promise much higher battery capacity but are limited by poor storage life. This work identifies key ageing mechanisms and suggests ways to improve long-term stability.

Aqueous electrolyte solutions formulated to extend anion coordination into the secondary solvation shell improve the electrochemical utilization of the Zn metal electrode, leading to more efficient zinc battery performance.

Chunsheng Wang and colleagues develop an electrolyte strategy to enable the use of commercially available microsized alloys, such as Si–Li, as high-performance battery anodes. They ascribe its success to the formation of robust LiF-rich layers as the solid–electrolyte interface.

Aqueous and non-aqueous Li-based electrolyte solutions have narrow electrochemical stability windows, which hinder the operation of batteries at high cell potentials. Here, to circumvent this limitation, the authors propose the combined use of tailored aqueous and non-aqueous electrolyte solutions in various Li-based cell configurations.

Solid-state electrolyte reduction and Li dendrite growth limit the stability of all-solid-state Li metal batteries. Here the authors show that reductive electrophiles gain electrons and metal cations from metal–nucleophile materials on contact, allowing the electrochemical formation of a dense, electron-blocking film that improves the stability of both the anode and high-voltage cathode.

All-solid-state lithium-metal batteries are at the forefront of battery research and development. Here C. Wang and colleagues have developed an interlayer design strategy to address issues associated with lithium dendrite growth and interface resistance, resulting in substantial improvements in battery performance.

The critical current density is generally used to evaluate dendrite-suppression capability in batteries. Here the authors propose a critical interphase overpotential descriptor for dendrite suppression and demonstrate high-performance solid-state battery design with the new descriptor.

An electrolyte design using small-sized fluoroacetonitrile solvents to form a ligand channel produces lithium-ion batteries simultaneously achieving high energy density, fast charging and wide operating temperature range, desirable features for batteries working in extreme conditions.

An electrolyte design strategy based on a group of soft solvents is used to achieve lithium-ion batteries that operate safely under extreme conditions without lithium plating and with the capability of fast charging.

All-solid-state lithium batteries performance is affected by the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) and electrically disconnected (“dead”) Li metal. Here, via operando NMR measurements, the authors quantify the Li metal in the SEI and “dead” regions using various inorganic solid-state electrolytes.

High-voltage, anode-free sodium metal batteries combine high energy density and sustainability, but the lack of suitable electrolytes hinders their application. This work formulates an eco-friendly electrolyte design that supports exciting performance in such batteries.

Rechargeable magnesium batteries suffer from slow solid-state Mg²⁺diffusion in the intercalation cathode. Here the authors show magnesium/iodine chemistry in which the liquid–solid two-phase reaction leads to increased rate capabilities by overcoming the sluggish kinetics.

A fluorinated electrolyte forms a few-nanometre-thick interface both at the anode and the cathode that stabilizes lithium-metal battery operation with high-voltage cathodes.

Micro-sized silicon are promising anode materials due to low-cost and high-energy, yet their application is hindered by inaccessible electrolytes. Here, the authors report sulfolane-based electrolytes that form silicon-phobic interphases and enable high-voltage pouch cells to achieve superior cycle life.

By coordinating copper ions with the oxygen-containing groups of cellulose nanofibrils, the molecular spacing in the nanofibrils is increased, allowing fast transport of lithium ions and offering hopes for solid-state batteries.

The solid–electrolyte-interphase layer is extremely important for reversible electrochemical cycling of Li-ion batteries. Now it has been observed that lithium ethylene mono-carbonate, instead of the previously reported lithium ethylene di-carbonate, is the major initial organic species in this layer and it has a high Li-ion conductivity.

Lithium metal batteries are an attractive energy storage technology, but their development relies on the complex interplay between the components’ chemical, physical and mechanical properties. Now, selective methylation of dimethoxyethane ether electrolytes is shown to improve electrolyte, electrode and solid–electrolyte interphase stabilities to enable high-performance 4.3 V lithium metal batteries.

Despite its importance in lithium batteries, the mechanism of Li dendrite growth is not well understood. Here the authors study three representative solid electrolytes with neutron depth profiling and identify high electronic conductivity as the root cause for the dendrite issue.

Zinc batteries are receiving growing attention due to their sustainability merits not shared by lithium-ion technologies. Here the aqueous electrolyte design features unique solvation structures that render Zn–air pouch cell excellent cycling stability in a wide temperature range from −60 to 80 °C.

State-of-the-art electrolytes limit the cycle life of halide-ion batteries. Here, the authors report a fluorinated low-polar gel polymer electrolyte capable of improving the stability of the electrolyte and electrode interphases to boost battery performance.

High-energy batteries require electrolytes with a wide electrochemical stability window. Building on the water-in-salt electrolyte concept, the authors develop a ternary eutectic electrolyte with substantially reduced salt concentrations that enable high-performance Li_1.5Mn₂O₄ || Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ batteries

Batteries generally do not perform well at extreme temperatures, and electrolytes are mainly to blame. Here, the authors dissolve fluorinated electrolytes in highly fluorinated non-polar solvents, enabling batteries that can operate at a wide temperature range (−125 to +70 °C).

Ion–solvent interactions at battery interfaces share parallels with solvation effects in catalysis. This analysis examines how interfacial solvation structures influence interphase formation and charge transfer, offering insights into electrochemical behaviour under complex conditions.

All-solid-state lithium batteries can offer high energy density and safety but suffer from high interfacial resistance owing to the formation of interfacial voids. Now, a self-adaptive interphase has been developed that maintains intimate contact between the lithium metal anode and solid electrolyte without external pressure.

Fast charging of high-energy batteries is limited by electrolyte instability under rising overpotential. A self-adaptive electrolyte overcomes this by dynamically expanding its stability window during charging, enabling efficient zinc- and lithium-metal battery operation.

Solid electrolytes are promising for enabling the use of Li metal anodes but Li infiltration along grain boundaries can lead to battery failure. Li infiltration in a model solid oxide electrolyte is now found to be strongly associated with local electronic band structure.

Composite cathodes created by anionic redox reactions of bromine and chlorine intercalated into graphite, combined with water-in-salt electrolyte and graphite anodes, provide aqueous lithium-ion batteries with improved energy density.

The specific energy and cycle life of rechargeable non-aqueous Na-based batteries are influenced by the type of electrolyte used. Here the authors propose a sulfonyl imide-rich electrolyte solution to improve the energy content and life span of various Na-based batteries.

Despite the non-flammable nature of water-based electrolytes, aqueous lithium-ion batteries still carry an explosion risk due to the sealing structure. Here the authors report a safe aqueous battery with an open configuration, utilizing highly concentrated electrolytes and Al₂O₃ coated anodes.

The energy output of aqueous batteries is largely limited by the narrow voltage window of their electrolytes. Now, a hydrate melt consisting of lithium salts is shown to expand such voltage windows, leading to a high-energy aqueous battery.

Beta-alumina solid electrolyte enhanced by yttria-stabilized zirconia can provide a very low interfacial impedance with a sodium metal anode and a critical current density higher than those previously reported in lithium and sodium batteries.

X-ray diffraction and Rietveld refinement analysis confirm the presence of LiH in the solid–electrolyte interphase of lithium metal anodes.

This Review provides guidelines for electrolyte and interphase design and discusses LiF-rich interphases with high interfacial energies, high mechanical strength and high ionic:electronic conductivity ratios, which enable the construction of a wide range of highly stable, safe and energy-dense battery systems with fast-charging capabilities.

Poor electrochemical reversibility of the conversion-type cathode materials remains an important challenge for their practical applications. Here, the authors report a highly reversible fluoride cathode material with low hysteresis through concerted doping of cobalt and oxygen into iron fluoride.

Metallic zinc is an ideal anode material for aqueous batteries but suffers from irreversibility issues. An aqueous electrolyte based on Zn and lithium salts using either LiMn₂O₄ or O₂ cathodes now brings unprecedented flexibility and reversibility to Zn batteries.

It is challenging to prepare electrolyte that could achieve wide electrochemical window, broad working temperature, non-inflammability, and fast ion transport simultaneously. Here the authors report a rocking-chair proton battery utilizing a solvent-free protic liquid electrolyte, which could operate in a broad temperature range from 0 to 250 celsius degree.

Mg-based batteries possess potential advantages over their lithium counterparts; however, the use of reversible oxidation-resistant, carbonate-based electrolytes has been hindered because of their undesirable electrochemical reduction reactions. Now, by engineering a Mg²⁺-conductive artificial interphase on a Mg electrode surface, which prevents such reactivity, highly reversible Mg deposition/stripping in carbonate-based electrolytes has been demonstrated.

Graphite is a common anode material for lithium-ion batteries, but small interlayer spacing makes it unsuitable for sodium-ion batteries. Here, Wen et al.synthesize a graphite material with expanded layer distances, which could be a promising anodic material for sodium-ion batteries.

The authors report a stretchable and integrated energy harvest-storage-application skin-adherent microsystem, by utilizing an all-in-one MXene film simultaneously as micro-supercapacitors, wireless receiver coils and strain sensors.