Zicheng Zuo

A crosslinking method is developed to confine the spacing between quaternary ammonium groups, increase the OH ⁻ within the ionic channels, and thus resolve the trade-off among ionic conductivity, swelling resistance, and long-term durability.

Tracking dynamic ion diffusion in electrode materials has long posed a significant challenge in battery performance research. The development of facile visualization techniques to reveal ion transport dynamics enables more intuitive and in‐depth understanding of degradation mechanisms. In this study, we introduce an in situ optical electrochemical characterization method for organic single‐crystal electrode materials. By leveraging the electrochemical‐responsive optical properties of these materials, we successfully visualized the dynamic ion diffusion process within organic single‐crystal electrodes. Using this approach, we identified a reaction‐coupled ion diffusion mechanism governed by Fick's first law. Our results reveal strong crystal‐plane‐dependent diffusion characteristics and demonstrate that reaction‐induced conductivity enhancement is a key factor enabling high‐rate performance. Furthermore, the method vividly captures ion‐intercalation‐induced volume expansion and active material dissolution/shuttling phenomena. This methodology provides fundamental insights into the kinetic behavior and degradation mechanisms of organic electrode systems and demonstrates broad applicability to other material systems.

Tracking dynamic ion diffusion in electrode materials has long posed a significant challenge in battery performance research. The development of facile visualization techniques to reveal ion transport dynamics enables more intuitive and in‐depth understanding of degradation mechanisms. In this study, we introduce an in situ optical electrochemical characterization method for organic single‐crystal electrode materials. By leveraging the electrochemical‐responsive optical properties of these materials, we successfully visualized the dynamic ion diffusion process within organic single‐crystal electrodes. Using this approach, we identified a reaction‐coupled ion diffusion mechanism governed by Fick's first law. Our results reveal strong crystal‐plane‐dependent diffusion characteristics and demonstrate that reaction‐induced conductivity enhancement is a key factor enabling high‐rate performance. Furthermore, the method vividly captures ion‐intercalation‐induced volume expansion and active material dissolution/shuttling phenomena. This methodology provides fundamental insights into the kinetic behavior and degradation mechanisms of organic electrode systems and demonstrates broad applicability to other material systems.

Membrane innovations have become a key solution for overcoming the bottlenecks in efficiency upgrade in many green energy fields. Membrane performance depends on two key parameters permeability and selectivity, which typically follow a trade-off relationship: improving one often diminishes the other. Two-dimensional (2D) materials, which have atomic-level thickness, tunable pore sizes, and reasonable functionalization, offer great promises to break through the trade-off effect and redesign high-efficiency mass transfer pathways. This review systematically presents recent efforts in both preparation and potential applications of 2D materials for overcoming the permeability–selectivity trade-off. It highlights four prevailing fabrication strategies: chemical vapor deposition, interfacial synthesis, solution-phase synthesis, and exfoliation, and shows some major optimization techniques for various 2D materials. Additionally, this review discusses emerging applications of 2D materials across critical fields from water treatment (seawater desalination, metal ion extraction) to energy technologies (osmotic power generation, direct methanol fuel cells, and vanadium redox flow batteries). Finally, the challenges and future prospects of 2D materials in ion separation and energy conversion are discussed.

Efficiently reconciling the substantial volume strain with maintaining the stabilities of both interfacial protection and three‐dimensional (3D) conductive networks is a scientific and technical challenge in developing tin‐based anodes for sodium ion storage. To address this issue, a proof‐of‐concept self‐adaptive protection for the Sn anode is designed, taking advantage of the arbitrary substrate growth of graphdiyne. This protective layer, employing a flexible chain doping strategy, combines the benefits of 2D graphdiyne and linear chain structures to achieve 2D mechanical stability, electronic and ion conductions, ion selectivity, adequate elongation, and flexibility. It establishes close contact with the Sn particles and can adapt to dynamic size changes while effectively facilitating both electronic and ion transports. It successfully mitigates the detrimental effects of particle pulverization and coarsening induced by large‐volume changes. The as‐obtained Sn electrodes demonstrate exceptional stability, enduring 1800 cycles at a high current density of 2.5 A g⁻¹. This strategy promises to address the general issues associated with large‐strain electrodes in next‐generation of high‐energy‐density batteries.

A Van der Waals epitaxial growth method is developed for constructing large-scale 2D/2D heterostructure based on graphdiyne and Ti₂C₃T_x. The heterojunction shows enhanced performance in storing the Na⁺.

The severe kinetic issues and interfacial characteristics of CF_xcan be ameliorated by GDY encapsulation with electronic structure modulation, create stable electron–ion transport channels and ameliorate interfacial characteristics. The rate performance is effectively enhanced.

All-carbon graphdiyne (GDY)-based materials have attracted extensive attention owing to their extraordinary structures and outstanding performance in electrochemical energy storage. Straightforward insights into the interfacial evolution at GDY electrode/electrolyte interface could crucially enrich the fundamental comprehensions and inspire targeted regulations. Herein, in situ optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy monitoring of the GDY and N-doped GDY electrodes reveal the interplay between the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) and Li deposition. The growth and continuous accumulation of the flocculent-like SEI is directly tracked at the surface of GDY electrode. Moreover, the nanoparticle-shaped SEI homogeneously propagates at the interface when N configurations are involved, providing a critical clue for the N-doping effects of stabilizing interfaces and homogenizing Li deposition. This work probes into the dynamic evolution and structure-reactivity correlation in detail, creating effective strategies for GDY-based materials optimization in lithium-ion batteries.