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Driving range and fast charge capability of electric vehicles are heavily dependent on the 3D microstructure of lithium-ion batteries (LiBs) and substantial fundamental research is required to optimise electrode design for specific operating conditions. Here we have developed a full microstructure-resolved 3D model using a novel X-ray nano-computed tomography (CT) dual-scan superimposition technique that captures features of the carbon-binder domain. This elucidates how LiB performance is markedly affected by microstructural heterogeneities, particularly under high rate conditions. The elongated shape and wide size distribution of the active particles not only affect the lithium-ion transport but also lead to a heterogeneous current distribution and non-uniform lithiation between particles and along the through-thickness direction. Building on these insights, we propose and compare potential graded-microstructure designs for next-generation battery electrodes. To guide manufacturing of electrode architectures, in-situ X-ray CT is shown to reliably reveal the porosity and tortuosity changes with incremental calendering steps. The 3D microstructure of the electrode predominantly determines the electrochemical performance of Li-ion batteries. Here, the authors show that the microstructural heterogeneities lead to non-uniform Li insertion and current distribution while graded-microstructures improve the performance.

Potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) are appealing alternatives to conventional lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) because of their wide potential window, fast ionic conductivity in the electrolyte, and reduced cost. However, PIBs suffer from sluggish K + reaction kinetics in electrode materials, large volume expansion of electroactive materials, and the unstable solid electrolyte interphase. Various strategies, especially in terms of electrode design, have been proposed to address these issues. In this review, the recent progress on advanced anode materials of PIBs is systematically discussed, ranging from the design principles, and nanoscale fabrication and engineering to the structure-performance relationship. Finally, the remaining limitations, potential solutions, and possible research directions for the development of PIBs towards practical applications are presented. This review will provide new insights into the lab development and real-world applications of PIBs.

Objectives As indications for cochlear implantation have expanded to include patients with more residual hearing, increasing emphasis has been placed on minimally traumatic electrode insertion. Histopathologic evaluation remains the gold standard for evaluation of cochlear trauma, but advances in imaging techniques have allowed clinicians to determine scalar electrode location in vivo. This review will examine the relationship between scalar location of electrode arrays and audiologic outcomes. In addition, the impact that surgical approach, electrode design, and insertion depth have on scalar location will be evaluated. Data Sources: PubMed literature review Review Methods: A review of the current literature was conducted to analyze the relationship between scalar location of cochlear implant electrode arrays and speech perception outcomes. Further, data were reviewed to determine the impact that surgical variables have on scalar electrode location. Results Electrode insertions into the scala tympani are associated with superior speech perception and higher rates of hearing preservation. Lateral wall electrodes, and round window/extended round window approaches appear to maximize the likelihood of a scala tympani insertion. It does not appear that deeper insertions are associated with higher rates of scalar translocation. Conclusion Superior audiologic outcomes are observed for electrode arrays inserted entirely within the scala tympani. The majority of clinical data demonstrate that lateral wall design and a round window approach increase the likelihood of a scala tympani insertion. Level of Evidence N/A.

Commercial lithium ion cells are now optimised for either high energy density or high power density. There is a trade off in cell design between the power and energy requirements. A tear down protocol has been developed, to investigate the internal components and cell engineering of nine cylindrical cells, with different power–energy ratios. The cells designed for high power applications used smaller particles of the active material in both the anodes and the cathodes. The cathodes for high power cells had higher porosities, but a similar trend was not observed for the anodes. In terms of cell design, the coat weights and areal capacities were lower for high power cells. The tag arrangements were the same in eight out of nine cells, with tags at each end of the anode, and one tag on the cathode. The thicknesses of the current collectors and separators were based on the best (thinnest) materials available when the cells were designed, rather than materials optimised for power or energy. To obtain high power, the resistance of each component is reduced as low as possible, and the lithium ion diffusion path lengths are minimised. This information illustrates the significant evolution of materials and components in lithium ion cells in recent years, and gives insight into designing higher power cells in the future.

Enzyme–electrode systems effectively integrate biological and non-biological components to facilitate ‘interfacial electron transfer’ (ET) between enzymes and electrodes.Comprehensive frameworks for enzyme–electrode designs are established according to interfacial ET mechanisms.Diverse enzyme–electrode interfacing strategies have been developed, taking into account the nature of the enzymatic reactions and the interfacial ET mechanisms involved.Cutting-edge protein-engineering approaches offer powerful and versatile tools to enhance the efficiency of enzyme–electrode wiring in bioelectronic systems. Advances in protein engineering-enabled enzyme immobilization technologies have significantly improved enzyme–electrode wiring in enzymatic electrochemical systems, which harness natural biological machinery to either generate electricity or synthesize biochemicals. In this review, we provide guidelines for designing enzyme–electrodes, focusing on how performance variables change depending on electron transfer (ET) mechanisms. Recent advancements in enzyme immobilization technologies are summarized, highlighting their contributions to extending enzyme–electrode sustainability (up to months), enhancing biosensor sensitivity, improving biofuel cell performance, and setting a new benchmark for turnover frequency in bioelectrocatalysis. We also highlight state-of-the-art protein-engineering approaches that enhance enzyme–electrode interfacing through three key principles: protein–protein, protein–ligand, and protein–inorganic interactions. Finally, we discuss prospective avenues in strategic protein design for real-world applications. Advances in protein engineering-enabled enzyme immobilization technologies have significantly improved enzyme–electrode wiring in enzymatic electrochemical systems, which harness natural biological machinery to either generate electricity or synthesize biochemicals. In this review, we provide guidelines for designing enzyme–electrodes, focusing on how performance variables change depending on electron transfer (ET) mechanisms. Recent advancements in enzyme immobilization technologies are summarized, highlighting their contributions to extending enzyme–electrode sustainability (up to months), enhancing biosensor sensitivity, improving biofuel cell performance, and setting a new benchmark for turnover frequency in bioelectrocatalysis. We also highlight state-of-the-art protein-engineering approaches that enhance enzyme–electrode interfacing through three key principles: protein–protein, protein–ligand, and protein–inorganic interactions. Finally, we discuss prospective avenues in strategic protein design for real-world applications.

Supercapacitors have acquired a considerable scientific and technological position in the energy storage field owing to their compelling power capability, good energy density, excellent cycling stability, and ideal safety. The supercapacitor is the burgeoning candidate to cope with the ever‐growing need for green and renewable energy. High‐performance supercapacitors are realized by nanostructured electrode designs, which provide ameliorated surface area for abundant electrode‐electrolyte interaction, ease of electron transfer and movement, and short ion‐diffusion pathways that lead to increased performance. In this regard, transition metal oxide (TMO)‐based electroactive materials are of significant interest owing to the remarkable combination of structural, mechanical, electrical, and electrochemical properties. Besides their high specific capacitance and energy density due to rich redox chemistry, highly reversible and fast charge‐discharge processes, low cost due to abundance, and environment‐friendliness make them the most promising materials for next‐generation supercapacitors. But poor electrical conductivity and rate capability, inferior cycling life, and low power density are some of the major challenges that need to be addressed. Therefore, various nanostructures of pristine TMOs and their composites with other materials with complementary characteristics have been fabricated and investigated to realize supercapacitors with improved performance. This review summarizes all such reported pristine TMOs with different nanostructured dimensions namely, 3D, 2D, 1D, and 0D, and their composite structures for their application as electrode materials in supercapacitors. Design of different pristine and composite nanostructures, synthesis strategies, comprehensive structure‐dependent electrochemical properties, present challenges, and future perspectives are reviewed.

This work introduces a rigorous framework for systematically determining fundamental performance bounds in the context of negative dielectrophoresis. To achieve this, we apply quadratically constrained quadratic programming, a powerful optimization approach particularly well-suited for quantifying theoretical performance limits under well-defined physical constraints. We generalize these results to experimentally relevant two-dimensional electrode geometries while explicitly partitioning the design domain into controllable and uncontrollable regions consistent with experimental constraints. Furthermore, we discuss the use of topology optimization techniques to identify electrode layouts that can experimentally achieve performance close to the derived theoretical limits, thus bridging the gap between theoretical analysis and practical experimental realization.

Electrode material selection and structural designs of electrochemical chips are fundamental parameters in the field of electrochemical sensing. These parameters directly affect sensor conductivity, selectivity, stability, surface area, and overall performance. This article summarizes the most common electrode architectures and commercially available materials currently used in the development of electrochemical sensors, including carbon‐based materials (e.g., boron‐doped diamond, graphite, graphene, glassy carbon, carbon nanotubes, and carbon fibers), metal‐based materials and alloys (e.g., gold, platinum, silver, nickel, and metal oxides), conductive polymers (e.g., polyaniline, polypyrrole, and poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene)), and redox dyes and mediators (Prussian blue, Meldola blue, etc.). It highlights the advantages of each category and identifies suitable electrode materials for specific target analytes. Finally, this review aims to guide readers in selecting appropriate electrode materials and designs tailored to a specific application. Nowadays, electrochemical sensors and biosensors play a crucial role in modern life. This work highlights the importance of electrode material selection and chip design in optimizing sensor performance. It provides a practical guide for choosing suitable materials and structural configurations tailored to specific sensing applications, aiming to support the development of more efficient and application‐driven electrochemical platforms.

HighlightsRecent advances in electrochemical energy storage based on nano- and micro-structured (NMS) scaffolds are summarized and discussed.The fundamentals, superiorities, and design principle of NMS scaffolds are outlined.Given the present progress, the ongoing challenges and promising perspectives are highlighted.Adopting a nano- and micro-structuring approach to fully unleashing the genuine potential of electrode active material benefits in-depth understandings and research progress toward higher energy density electrochemical energy storage devices at all technology readiness levels. Due to various challenging issues, especially limited stability, nano- and micro-structured (NMS) electrodes undergo fast electrochemical performance degradation. The emerging NMS scaffold design is a pivotal aspect of many electrodes as it endows them with both robustness and electrochemical performance enhancement, even though it only occupies complementary and facilitating components for the main mechanism. However, extensive efforts are urgently needed toward optimizing the stereoscopic geometrical design of NMS scaffolds to minimize the volume ratio and maximize their functionality to fulfill the ever-increasing dependency and desire for energy power source supplies. This review will aim at highlighting these NMS scaffold design strategies, summarizing their corresponding strengths and challenges, and thereby outlining the potential solutions to resolve these challenges, design principles, and key perspectives for future research in this field. Therefore, this review will be one of the earliest reviews from this viewpoint.

Lithium metal batteries have achieved large-scale application, but still have limitations such as poor safety performance and high cost, and limited lithium resources limit the production of lithium batteries. The construction of these devices is also hampered by limited lithium supplies. Therefore, it is particularly important to find alternative metals for lithium replacement. Sodium has the properties of rich in content, low cost and ability to provide high voltage, which makes it an ideal substitute for lithium. Sulfur-based materials have attributes of high energy density, high theoretical specific capacity and are easily oxidized. They may be used as cathodes matched with sodium anodes to form a sodium-sulfur battery. Traditional sodium-sulfur batteries are used at a temperature of about 300 °C. In order to solve problems associated with flammability, explosiveness and energy loss caused by high-temperature use conditions, most research is now focused on the development of room temperature sodium-sulfur batteries. Regardless of safety performance or energy storage performance, room temperature sodium-sulfur batteries have great potential as next-generation secondary batteries. This article summarizes the working principle and existing problems for room temperature sodium-sulfur battery, and summarizes the methods necessary to solve key scientific problems to improve the comprehensive energy storage performance of sodium-sulfur battery from four aspects: cathode, anode, electrolyte and separator.