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A Cu²⁺-crosslinked chitosan material with unique 1 nm hexagonal nanochannels is synthesized and applied as a high-performance and alkaline-stable hydroxide exchange membrane.

A simple method combining thermal activation and electric fields is demonstrated to efficiently generate ordered vacancies in bulk metal oxides, which can be used for broad applications.

A repeated on–off high-temperature shockwave is shown to be a generalizable way of efficiently synthesizing and stabilizing single atoms at high temperatures.

Dissolution of manganese from the cathode in lithium manganate based batteries is a major cause for the capacity decay. Here, the authors show a nanoscale surface-doping approach to mitigate the problem and to improve the battery capacity and cycleability.

The energy content of non-aqueous lithium batteries is limited by the electrochemical stability window of the electrolyte solution. Here, the authors report a monofluoride ether-based electrolyte to stabilize high-voltage lithium metal batteries at high current rates and low temperatures.

This Article presents a battery with protons as the charge carrier, as opposed to Li-ion batteries, which rely on the transport of Li-ions. Protons are conducted by means of the Grotthuss mechanism in a hydrated Prussian blue analogue electrode, offering potential for ultrafast rate and long-life batteries.

A vanadium-based lithium-rich disordered rock salt oxide is shown to work as a low-potential anode with rapid intercalation kinetics for lithium-ion batteries.

Composites incorporating metallic nanoparticles into metal-organic frameworks are potentially useful but controlling the nanoparticle spatial distribution is challenging. Here, the authors report a strategy that accomplishes this by using a metal oxide as both support and sacrificial template.

Lithium manganate is an important cathode material for lithium-ion batteries; however, its capacity-fading mechanism is unclear. Zhan et al. identify the oxidation state of manganese deposited on the anode, which leads to an irreversible rising in anode resistance and consequently a shortened battery life.

Aromaticity predicts the existence of the benzene tetra-anion, although it has not been unambiguously observed. Here, the authors have synthesized a tetra-anionic substituted benzene as a ligand and characterize the six-carbon, 10 π-electron system by structural, spectroscopic and theoretical techniques.

An antiviral and antibacterial cotton textile based on a fundamentally different principle of incorporating copper ions into the cotton structure at the atomic level is fabricated with excellent air/water retainability and superior mechanical stability.

The introduction of a coherent perovskite phase into the layered structure of a lithium-ion battery reduces lattice strain and stress to produce a robust crystal structure.

Diffractive imaging of an important class of battery electrodes during cycling shows that lattice strain is a crucial yet overlooked factor that contributes to voltage fade over time.

Magnesium rechargeable batteries potentially offer high-energy density, safety, and low cost. Here the authors show a battery that reversibly intercalates magnesium monochloride cations with excellent rate and cycle performances in addition to the large capacity.

Electrochemical degradation is the most critical challenge for Li-rich materials. Here, the authors reveal that manganese related phase reaction inhomogeneity coupling with transition metal rearrangement triggers electrochemical degradation in lithium-rich layered cathode.

Reduction on cobalt reliance is an urgent requirement in the development of sustainable cathode materials for Li-ion batteries. Here the authors analyse the roles of cobalt and its interplay with other ions in high-nickel layered oxides, and deduce a material formula for promising cobalt-free cathodes.

Upgrading wasted carbon emissions to high-value, multi-carbon products provides an economic route to reduce carbon dioxide levels, but such conversions have proven challenging. Here, authors explore copper adparticles as highly active surfaces that convert CO to n-propanol with high selectivities.

The decomposition of solid state electrolyte material has been well-known in the literature. Here the authors report that the same decomposition process can be leveraged to act as a source of redox mediator that is only activated at certain voltages for application in Li₂S based cathodes.

The authors here report a binder-free electrode based on tin nanoarrays deposited on copper substrate. It is found that the locally formed electrochemically inactive tin-copper alloys work as a glue that bridges tin and copper to survive harsh cycling conditions in sodium ion batteries.

Electrochemically reducing nitrogen-containing molecules could provide less energy-intense routes to produce ammonia than the traditional Haber–Bosh process. Here the authors use a catalyst comprising Cu embedded in an organic molecular solid to synthesize ammonia from nitrate ions.

To unlock the potential of Mn-based cathode materials, the fast capacity fading process has to be first understood. Here the authors utilize advanced characterization techniques to look at a spinel LiMn₂O₄ system, revealing that a combination of irreversible structural transformations and Mn dissolution takes responsibility.

It is challenging to exploit anionic redox activity to boost performance of battery electrodes, especially for anti-fluorite structures. Here the authors report simultaneous anionic and cationic redox in Li₅FeO₄, which enables its high capacity and eliminates the undesired oxygen gas release.

Novel cathode design holds the key to enabling high performance lithium-sulfur batteries. Here the authors utilize anthraquinone to chemically stabilize polysulfides, revealing that the keto groups of anthraquinone play a critical role in forming strong Lewis acid-based chemical bonding.

Facile and scalable fabrication of high-performing sulfur cathodes is challenging in the commercialization of Li–S batteries. The authors report a strategy of simply burning Li foils in a CS₂ vapour for the cathode design, which shows promising battery performance.

A reversible oxygen redox process contributes extra capacity and understanding this behavior is of high importance. Here, aided by resonant inelastic X-ray scattering, the authors reveal the distinctive anionic oxygen activity of battery electrodes with different transition metals.