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Hydrogen production from water splitting by photo/photoelectron‐catalytic process is a promising route to solve both fossil fuel depletion and environmental pollution at the same time. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanotubes have attracted much interest due to their large specific surface area and highly ordered structure, which has led to promising potential applications in photocatalytic degradation, photoreduction of CO2, water splitting, supercapacitors, dye‐sensitized solar cells, lithium‐ion batteries and biomedical devices. Nanotubes can be fabricated via facile hydrothermal method, solvothermal method, template technique and electrochemical anodic oxidation. In this report, we provide a comprehensive review on recent progress of the synthesis and modification of TiO2 nanotubes to be used for photo/photoelectro‐catalytic water splitting. The future development of TiO2 nanotubes is also discussed. Hydrogen production from water splitting by photo/photoelectron‐catalytic process is one promising route to solve both energy depletion and environmental pollution at the same time. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanotubes have attracted much interest and show potential applications in photocatalytic degradation, water splitting and lithium‐ion batteries etc. In this review, the recent progress of TiO2 nanotubes in the synthesis processes and modification used to improve the performance of photo/photoelectrocatalytic water splitting is comprehensively reviewed. The future development of TiO2 nanotubes is also briefly discussed and addressed.

The development of conversion‐typed anodes with ultrafast charging and large energy storage is quite challenging due to the sluggish ions/electrons transfer kinetics in bulk materials and fracture of the active materials. Herein, the design of porous carbon nanofibers/SnS2 composite (SnS2@N‐HPCNFs) for high‐rate energy storage, where the ultrathin SnS2 nanosheets are nanoconfined in N‐doped carbon nanofibers with tunable void spaces, is reported. The highly interconnected carbon nanofibers in three‐dimensional (3D) architecture provide a fast electron transfer pathway and alleviate the volume expansion of SnS2, while their hierarchical porous structure facilitates rapid ion diffusion. Specifically, the anode delivers a remarkable specific capacity of 1935.50 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C and excellent rate capability up to 30 C with a specific capacity of 289.60 mAh g−1. Meanwhile, at a high rate of 20 C, the electrode displays a high capacity retention of 84% after 3000 cycles and a long cycle life of 10 000 cycles. This work provides a deep insight into the construction of electrodes with high ionic/electronic conductivity for fast‐charging energy storage devices. The hollow porous carbon nanofiber encapsulated SnS2 nanosheets are designed via a simple one‐step sulfidation process between coaxial electrospinning and carbonization. The electrode exhibits a high specific capacity of 1935.50 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C and even 289.60 mAh g−1 at 30 C. Furthermore, it exhibits a stable performance with 84% capacity retention at 20 C even after 3000 cycles.

Flexible lithium‐ion batteries (FLBs) are of critical importance to the seamless power supply of flexible and wearable electronic devices. However, the simultaneous acquirements of mechanical deformability and high energy density remain a major challenge for FLBs. Through billions of years of evolutions, many plants and animals have developed unique compositional and structural characteristics, which enable them to have both high mechanical deformability and robustness to cope with the complex and stressful environment. Inspired by nature, many new materials and designs emerge recently to achieve mechanically flexible and high storage capacity of lithium‐ion batteries at the same time. Here, we summarize these novel FLBs inspired by natural and biological materials and designs. We first give a brief introduction to the fundamentals and challenges of FLBs. Then, we highlight the latest achievements based on nature inspiration, including fiber‐shaped FLBs, origami and kirigami‐derived FLBs, and the nature‐inspired structural designs in FLBs. Finally, we discuss the current status, remaining challenges, and future opportunities for the development of FLBs. This concise yet focused review highlights current inspirations in FLBs and wishes to broaden our view of FLB materials and designs, which can be directly “borrowed” from nature. Flexible lithium‐ion batteries (FLBs) are critical to the seamless power supply of emerging flexible and wearable electronic devices. Recently, lent by inspiration from nature, various interesting FLBs with high mechanical deformability and energy density were developed. To this end, a focused review on the nature‐inspired materials and designs toward high‐performance FLB is given to guide future studies.

Bionic synthesis technology has made significant breakthroughs in porous functional materials by replicating and optimizing biological structures. For instance, biomimetic titanium dioxide-coated carbon multilayer materials, prepared via biological templating, exhibit a hierarchical structure, abundant nanopores, and synergistic effects. Bionic mineralization further enhances microcapsules by forming a secondary inorganic wall, granting them superior impermeability, high elastic modulus, and hardness. Through techniques like molecular self-assembly, electrospinning, and pressure-driven fusion, researchers have successfully fabricated centimeter-scale artificial lamellar bones without synthetic polymers. In environmental applications, electrospun membranes inspired by lotus leaves and bird bones achieve 99.94% separation efficiency for n-hexane–water mixtures, retaining nearly 99% efficiency after 20 cycles. For energy applications, an all-ceramic silica nanofiber aerogel with a bionic blind bristle structure demonstrates ultralow thermal conductivity (0.0232–0.0643 W·m−1·K−1) across a broad temperature range (−50 to 800 °C). This review highlights the preparation methods and recent advances in biomimetic porous materials for practical applications.

Photo‐integrated rechargeable aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (ZIBs)/zinc‐ion capacitors (ZICs) have recently attracted substantial attention as a viable strategy to realize solar to electrochemical energy conversion and storage in a single device. Herein, a timely perspective on the latest advances in photo‐integrated rechargeable ZIBs/ZICs is presented. We first provide a brief introduction for the three different device types and working principles of the photo‐integrated rechargeable ZIB/ZIC devices, including tandem connected photo‐rechargeable hybrid energy systems, photo‐electrode integrated ZIBs, and photo‐rechargeable ZIBs/ZICs. Then, the significant advances in configuration design, materials chemistry, and performance evaluation of photo‐integrated rechargeable ZIBs/ZICs are systematically discussed. At last, the current challenges and future research emphases are suggested, which is to pave the way for the photo‐integrated rechargeable ZIBs/ZICs from laboratory technology to commercialization. This short yet informative perspective aims to evoke more research interests in developing high‐performance photo‐integrated rechargeable ZIBs/ZICs and other hybrid energy systems toward the direct conversion and storage of solar energy to electrochemical energy. The photo‐integrated aqueous rechargeable zinc‐ion batteries (ZIBs)/zinc‐ion capacitors (ZICs) represent a feasible strategy toward direct solar to electrochemical energy conversion and storage. This perspective summarizes the latest progress in various types of photo‐integrated ZIB/ZIC devices. The significant advances in configuration design, materials optimization, and performance evaluation are highlighted.

LaFeO3 nanoparticle-modified TiO2 nanotube arrays were fabricated through facile hydrothermal growth. The absorption edge of LaFeO3 nanoparticle-modified TiO2 nanotube arrays displaying a red shift to ~540 nm was indicated by the results of diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) when compared to TiO2 nanotube arrays, which means that the sample of LaFeO3 nanoparticle-modified TiO2 nanotube arrays had enhanced visible light response. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra showed that the LaFeO3 nanoparticle-modified TiO2 nanotube arrays efficiently separated the photoinduced electron–hole pairs and effectively prolonged the endurance of photogenerated carriers. The results of methylene blue (MB) degeneration under simulated visible light illumination showed that the photocatalytic activity of LaFeO3 nanoparticle-modified TiO2 nanotube arrays is obviously increased. LaFeO3 nanoparticle-modified TiO2 nanotube arrays with 12 h hydrothermal reaction time showed the highest degradation rate with a 2-fold enhancement compared with that of pristine TiO2 nanotube arrays.

Over the past decades, there has been a growing interest in rechargeable aqueous Zn‐ion batteries (AZIBs) as a viable substitute for lithium‐ion batteries. This is primarily due to their low cost, lower redox potential, and high safety. Nevertheless, the progress of Zn metal anodes has been impeded by various challenges, including the growth of dendrites, corrosion, and hydrogen evolution reaction during repeated cycles that result in low Coulombic efficiency and a short lifetime. Therefore, we represent recent advances in Zn metal anode protection for constructing high‐performance AZIBs. Besides, we show in‐depth analyses and supposed hypotheses on the working mechanism of these issues associated with mildly acidic aqueous electrolytes. Meanwhile, design principles and feasible strategies are proposed to suppress dendrites' formation of Zn batteries, including electrode design, electrolyte modification, and interface regulation, which are suitable for restraining corrosion and hydrogen evolution reaction. Finally, the current challenges and future trends are raised to pave the way for the commercialization of AZIBs. These design principles and potential strategies are applicable in other metal‐ion batteries, such as Li and K metal batteries. State‐of‐the‐art advances in the rational design of aqueous zinc‐ion batteries and their progress in practical applications are systematically summarized in this review. Various strategies to protect the Zn anode from forming dendrites' formation, restricting hydrogen production and corrosion, are proposed from both working mechanism and material perspectives, including structure design, electrolyte modification, and interface regulation.

Electret filters are widely used in particulate matter filtration due to their filtration efficiency that can be greatly improved by electrostatic forces without sacrificing the air resistance. However, the attenuation of the filtration efficiency remains a challenge. In this study, we report a novel strategy for producing an electret melt blown filter with superior filtration efficiency stability through a thermally stimulated charging method. The proposed approach optimizes the crystal structure and therefore results in the increased production probability of the charge traps. In addition, the re-trapping phenomenon caused by the thermal stimulation during the charging process can greatly increase the proportion of deep charge to shallow charge and improve the charge stability. A superior electret melt blown filtration material with a high filtration efficiency of 99.65%, low pressure drop of 120 Pa, and satisfactory filtration efficiency stability was produced after three cyclic charging times. The excellent filtration performance indicated that the developed material is a good air filtration candidate component for personal protection applications.

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been widely used as grid-level energy storage systems to power electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, and portable electronic devices. However, it is a big challenge to develop high-capacity electrode materials with large energy storage and ultrafast charging capability simultaneously due to the sluggish charge carrier transport in bulk materials and fragments of active materials. To address this issue, composite electrodes of SnO 2 nanodots and Sn nanoclusters embedded in hollow porous carbon nanofibers (denoted as SnO 2 @HPCNFs and Sn@HPCNFs) were respectively constructed programmatically for customized LIBs. Highly interconnected carbon nanofiber networks served as fast electron transport pathways. Additionally, the hierarchical hollow and porous structure facilitated rapid Li-ion diffusion and alleviated the volume expansion of Sn and SnO 2 . SnO 2 @HPCNFs delivered a remarkably high capacity of 899.3 mA h g −1 at 0.1 A g −1 due to enhanced Li adsorption and high ionic diffusivity. Meanwhile, Sn@HPCNFs displayed fast charging capability and superior high rate performance of 238.8 mA h g −1 at 5 A g −1 (∼10 C) due to the synergetic effect of enhanced Li-ion storage in the bulk pores of Sn and improved electronic conductivity. The investigation of the electrochemical behaviors of SnO 2 and Sn by tailoring the carbonization temperature provides new insight into constructing high-capacity anode materials for high-performance energy storage devices.

Front cover image: In article number 10.1002/cnl2.41, Yuxin Tang and coworkers provide a short perspective on photo‐integrated rechargeable aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (ZIBs)/zinc‐ion capacitors (ZICs). Under light illumination, the integrated solar‐charging modules can charge the ZIBs/ZICs, realizing direct solar energy conversion and storage. Such an integrated energy system demonstrates promising application potential in various fields such as large‐scale energy storage, self‐powered wearable electronics and internet of things.