journal article·2026-04

Chaotropic Anion‐Regulated Interfacial Desolvation Enables Ultrafast Aqueous Zn‐Ion Storage in TiN‐Integrated δ‐MnO 2 /MXene Heterostructure Anodes

Inaam Ullah, Ayesha Irfan, Salamat Ali, Waqar ul Hasan, Haotian Hu, Caiyuan Xiong, Jinbo Ming, Chunrui Wang, Mai Li, Limin Wu, Renchao Che

Advanced Functional Materials· Volume 36· Issue 34
Publisher page

Abstract

ABSTRACT Aqueous zinc‐ion hybrid supercapacitors (AZI‐HSCs) offer a compelling sustainable energy storage platform, yet their development is constrained by incompatible electrode‐electrolyte dynamics. Sluggish anode kinetics and narrow electrolyte voltage windows fundamentally limit their performance. While δ‐MnO 2 offers high theoretical capacity as an anode, its practical deployment is hindered by poor conductivity, slow ion diffusion, and structural instability. Herein, an atomic‐scale charge‐modulated δ‐MnO 2 /MXene–TiN heterostructure anode synergized with a chaotropic ClO 4 − ‐modified electrolyte holistically overcomes these limitations. Nitrogen functionalization engineers conductive Ti–N scaffolds within MXene that generate built‐in electric field (BIEF) and modulate interlayer spacing, which synergistically couples with expanded ion channels of δ‐MnO 2 to enable strain‐free Zn 2+ diffusion and ultrafast charge transport. This anode architecture is integrated with a chaotropic ClO 4 − ‐modified electrolyte, where the anions preferentially adsorb onto the hydrophobic TiN domains. This synergy disrupts Zn 2+ solvation shells to slash the desolvation barrier and expands the operating window by 20%. The assembled full cell (δ‐MnO 2 /MXene–TiN//δ‐MnO 2 ) achieves a 2.0 V operating voltage, delivering a high energy density of 87.08 Wh kg −1 at 1000 W kg −1 and exceptional cycling stability with 85.8% capacity retention over 12,000 cycles. This work demonstrates how atomic‐scale electrode‐electrolyte co‐design transcends fundamental limitations in aqueous energy storage.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Advanced battery technologies research · Supercapacitor Materials and Fabrication · MXene and MAX Phase Materials

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

College of Physics State Key Laboratory of Advanced Fiber Materials Donghua University Shanghai China

College of Smart Materials and Future Energy Fudan University Shanghai China

School of Materials and Energy Lanzhou University Lanzhou China

College of Physics Qingdao University Qingdao China

Inner Mongolia University Hohhot China

Laboratory of Advanced Materials Shanghai Key Lab of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials State Key Laboratory of Coatings for Advanced Equipment Advanced Coatings Research Center of Ministry of Education of China Fudan University Shanghai China

Funding

Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities · National Natural Science Foundation of China · Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality · Aeronautical Science Foundation of China · Science and Technology on Surface Physics and Chemistry Laboratory

References (62)

Show source-provided references
1. 10.1038/s41467‐023‐35933‐210.1038/s41467‐023‐35933‐2 ↗
2. 10.1002/adma.20241666510.1002/adma.202416665 ↗
3. 10.1002/advs.20230866810.1002/advs.202308668 ↗
4. 10.1016/j.carbon.2021.08.08410.1016/j.carbon.2021.08.084 ↗
5. 10.1038/s41427‐024‐00537‐910.1038/s41427‐024‐00537‐9 ↗
6. 10.1038/s41578‐022‐00511‐310.1038/s41578‐022‐00511‐3 ↗
7. 10.1039/D1TA08184E10.1039/D1TA08184E ↗
8. 10.1016/j.ensm.2021.10.00510.1016/j.ensm.2021.10.005 ↗
9. 10.1002/adma.20240018410.1002/adma.202400184 ↗
10. 10.1126/science.aab159510.1126/science.aab1595 ↗
11. 10.1038/s41893‐023‐01172‐y10.1038/s41893‐023‐01172‐y ↗
12. 10.1021/acsenergylett.1c0162410.1021/acsenergylett.1c01624 ↗
13. 10.1021/cr800382810.1021/cr8003828 ↗
14. 10.1002/aenm.20200291310.1002/aenm.202002913 ↗
15. 10.1002/anie.20230458110.1002/anie.202304581 ↗
16. 10.1039/D2EE03682G10.1039/D2EE03682G ↗
17. 10.1002/eom2.1216510.1002/eom2.12165 ↗
18. 10.1016/j.ensm.2025.10411610.1016/j.ensm.2025.104116 ↗
19. 10.1016/j.ensm.2018.10.02010.1016/j.ensm.2018.10.020 ↗
20. 10.1002/aenm.20200290410.1002/aenm.202002904 ↗
21. 10.1016/j.scib.2024.01.02910.1016/j.scib.2024.01.029 ↗
22. 10.1002/batt.20230034010.1002/batt.202300340 ↗
23. 10.1002/smtd.20250165110.1002/smtd.202501651 ↗
24. 10.31635/renewables.023.20220001010.31635/renewables.023.202200010 ↗
25. 10.1007/s40820‐021‐00757‐610.1007/s40820‐021‐00757‐6 ↗
26. 10.1002/adfm.20241399310.1002/adfm.202413993 ↗
27. 10.1002/aenm.20240127510.1002/aenm.202401275 ↗
28. 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2025.23704610.1016/j.jpowsour.2025.237046 ↗
29. 10.1039/D3EE01659E10.1039/D3EE01659E ↗
30. 10.1007/s12598‐023‐02597‐210.1007/s12598‐023‐02597‐2 ↗
31. 10.1002/adma.20250924610.1002/adma.202509246 ↗
32. 10.1021/ar500346b10.1021/ar500346b ↗
33. 10.1002/aenm.20170248510.1002/aenm.201702485 ↗
34. 10.1002/smll.20250829210.1002/smll.202508292 ↗
35. 10.1016/j.jcis.2025.13824010.1016/j.jcis.2025.138240 ↗
36. 10.1021/acsnano.3c0762710.1021/acsnano.3c07627 ↗
37. 10.1039/D0TA09085A10.1039/D0TA09085A ↗
38. 10.1021/acsami.4c2228110.1021/acsami.4c22281 ↗
39. 10.1016/j.surfin.2024.10553610.1016/j.surfin.2024.105536 ↗
40. 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2025.23777510.1016/j.jpowsour.2025.237775 ↗
41. 10.1002/adfm.20230665210.1002/adfm.202306652 ↗
42. 10.1038/s41467‐023‐40462‐z10.1038/s41467‐023‐40462‐z ↗
43. 10.1021/acs.chemmater.3c0249110.1021/acs.chemmater.3c02491 ↗
44. 10.1016/j.cej.2024.15593110.1016/j.cej.2024.155931 ↗
45. 10.1038/ncomms1442410.1038/ncomms14424 ↗
46. 10.1039/D0TA08638J10.1039/D0TA08638J ↗
47. 10.1002/eem2.1234010.1002/eem2.12340 ↗
48. 10.1038/s41597‐023‐02755‐210.1038/s41597‐023‐02755‐2 ↗
49. 10.3389/fchem.2021.67762010.3389/fchem.2021.677620 ↗
50. 10.1021/acsenergylett.4c0083310.1021/acsenergylett.4c00833 ↗
51. 10.1002/aenm.20200170510.1002/aenm.202001705 ↗
52. 10.1002/adma.20210270110.1002/adma.202102701 ↗
53. 10.1002/aenm.20230247710.1002/aenm.202302477 ↗
54. 10.1002/aenm.20210128710.1002/aenm.202101287 ↗
55. 10.1002/aelm.20190053710.1002/aelm.201900537 ↗
56. 10.3390/molecules2721744610.3390/molecules27217446 ↗
57. 10.1002/smll.20200009110.1002/smll.202000091 ↗
58. 10.1021/acsnano.9b0176210.1021/acsnano.9b01762 ↗
59. 10.1016/j.mtener.2020.10059810.1016/j.mtener.2020.100598 ↗
60. 10.1002/smll.20240913010.1002/smll.202409130 ↗
61. 10.1007/s40820‐020‐00450‐010.1007/s40820‐020‐00450‐0 ↗
62. 10.1016/j.jallcom.2021.16088110.1016/j.jallcom.2021.160881 ↗