Keliang Wang

The rapid expansion of renewable energy and electrified systems is increasing the demand for safe, low‐cost, and resource‐sustainable energy storage. Rechargeable zinc‐air batteries are promising because they combine abundant Zn, aqueous electrolytes, and an air‐fed oxygen electrode, yet their long‐term reversibility is constrained by coupled oxygen reactions, Zn chemistry, species transport, interfacial evolution, and finite material inventories. This review develops an operating‐state‐resolved framework linking reaction‐pathway competition during discharge, charge, and rest with shared‐electrolyte transport, electrode reversibility, cross‐component coupling, inventory retention, and device reversibility. An evidence hierarchy distinguishes direct operando or component‐resolved observations from correlation, mechanistic inference, and cross‐system analogy, while practical evaluation is considered under explicit load, Zn utilization, electrolyte inventory, gas environment, cumulative output, maintenance, and failure boundaries. These elements are further integrated into reaction‐selectivity‐oriented cross‐component co‐design. The resulting framework specifies the evidence needed to attribute failure, compares cycling claims within declared load and inventory boundaries, and identifies conditions under which air‐electrode, electrolyte, and Zn‐interface modifications can remain compatible.

Rechargeable zinc batteries offer a promising route toward safe, low‐cost, and sustainable energy storage, but their practical application is hindered by nonuniform ion transport, parasitic interfacial reactions, and progressive structural degradation. Cellulose is attractive because its oxygen‐containing functional groups, hierarchical fibrous structure, and processable networks can be tailored for zinc anodes, electrolytes, separators, cathodes, and flexible devices. This Review discusses recent advances in cellulose‐based materials for mild aqueous zinc‐ion batteries and alkaline zinc‐air batteries, focusing on how chemical modification, nanoscale organization, pore structure, and wet‐state mechanics affect ion conduction, electrode/electrolyte contact, and structural retention. Particular attention is given to the evidence supporting proposed mechanisms and to the distinct reaction environments of the two systems, including Zn ²⁺ transport and plating/stripping in mild electrolytes, and OH ⁻ transport, zincate redistribution, ZnO evolution, and air‐electrode processes in alkaline cells. The Review also examines performance trade‐offs, component contributions in multicomponent systems, and the limits of comparisons across different testing conditions. By linking cellulose chemistry and architecture with chemistry‐specific battery requirements, it provides practical guidance for material selection, mechanism verification, and device‐oriented design, while identifying chemical durability, dimensional stability, feedstock consistency, standardized evaluation, and scalable manufacturing as priorities for future development.

Silicon–carbon (Si–C) composite anodes are a promising pathway to enhance the energy density of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), yet the substantial volume changes of silicon during (de)lithiation cause mechanical degradation, capacity fading, and safety risks that hinder practical use. To address these challenges, we develop an electrochemical–thermal–mechanical coupled model tailored for LIBs with Si–C anodes. Built upon the Newman pseudo-two-dimensional framework, the multi-scale model integrates particle-, electrode-, and cell-level submodels. Electrochemical–mechanical coupling is captured through intercalation-induced particle expansion and cell-level thermal expansion, while bidirectional electrochemical–thermal coupling is introduced via a lumped thermal model with temperature-dependent electrochemical kinetics. The model is validated against experimental data, accurately reproducing current–voltage profiles, temperature rise, and displacement under various operating conditions. Simulations further reveal the distinct contributions of silicon and graphite: although silicon accounts for only a small fraction of anode mass, it can contribute 30% to the capacity of the cell owing to the high specific capacity of Si. At the same time, while silicon particles undergo volume changes exceeding 300%, the overall cell expansion remains below 7.5% due to structural dilution effects from other components. These findings establish a quantitative link between silicon content, electrochemical behavior, and cell expansion, providing theoretical guidance for the rational design of high-energy-density LIBs.

To address the issues of dendrite growth and zinc corrosion in rechargeable zinc‐air batteries, multifunctional glycine/valine additives are introduced into the electrolyte. By regulating the solvation shell structure and enhancing interfacial stability, these additives aim to protect the reversibility and stability of the zinc anode. Glycine/valine molecules inhibit the formation of the [Zn(H₂O)₆]²⁺ and Zn₅(OH)₈(OAc)₂·2H₂O by‐products at the interface by replacing active water molecules in a strong alkaline environment. Additionally, they form a hydrophobic electric double layer on the zinc metal surface, during the charge/discharge process, and construct an in situ solid electrolyte interface layer. This further suppresses the hydrogen evolution reaction and dendrite growth. The superior long‐term cycling stability of Zn||Zn cells, Zn||Cu, and zinc‐air full cells demonstrates the effectiveness of glycine/valine additives.