The urgent need for large-scale, low-cost energy storage has driven a new wave of research focusing on innovative batteries. Due to the high capacity and the low-cost of elemental Al, aluminum-ion batteries (AIBs) are expected as promising candidates for future energy storage. However, further development of AIBs is restricted by the performance of existing carbonbased cathodes and metal chalcogenide cathode materials. In this work, we deposited polythiophene (Pth) on a graphene oxide (Pth@GO) composite and used it as an AIB cathode material. This Pth@GO composite possesses high exposure of Pth active sites, high conductivity, and high structure stability while providing a very high discharge capacity (up to 130 mAh g −1 ) and outstanding cyclic stability (maintaining above 100 mAh g −1 after 4000 cycles). First principles calculations and experimental results show that the charge is stored on Pth@GO through an electrostatic attraction between AlCl 4 − and β-hydrogen (C β −H) sites in polythiophene.

As an emerging post‐lithium battery technology, aluminum ion batteries (AIBs) have the advantages of large Al reserves and high safety, and have great potential to be applied to power grid energy storage. But current graphite cathode materials are limited in charge storage capacity due to the formation of stage‐4 graphite‐intercalated compounds (GICs) in the fully charged state. Herein, we propose a new type of cathode materials for AIBs, namely polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which resemble graphite in terms of the large conjugated π bond, but do not form GICs in the charge process. Quantum chemistry calculations show that PAHs can bind AlCl4− through the interaction between the conjugated π bond in the PAHs and AlCl4−, forming on‐plane interactions. The theoretical specific capacity of PAHs is negatively correlated with the number of benzene rings in the PAHs. Then, under the guidance of theoretical calculations, anthracene, a three‐ring PAH, was evaluated as a cathode material for AIBs. Electrochemical measurements show that anthracene has a high specific capacity of 157 mAh g−1 (at 100 mA g−1) and still maintains a specific capacity of 130 mAh g−1 after 800 cycles. This work provides a feasible “theory guides practice” research model for the development of energy storage materials, and also provides a new class of promising cathode materials for AIBs.

As an emerging post-lithium battery technology, aluminum ion batteries (AIBs) have the advantages of large Al reserves and high safety, and have great potential to be applied to power grid energy storage. But current graphite cathode materials are limited in charge storage capacity due to the formation of stage-4 graphite-intercalated compounds (GICs) in the fully charged state. Herein, we propose a new type of cathode materials for AIBs, namely polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which resemble graphite in terms of the large conjugated π bond, but do not form GICs in the charge process. Quantum chemistry calculations show that PAHs can bind AlCl 4À through the interaction between the conjugated π bond in the PAHs and AlCl 4 À , forming onplane interactions. The theoretical specific capacity of PAHs is negatively correlated with the number of benzene rings in the PAHs. Then, under the guidance of theoretical calculations, anthracene, a three-ring PAH, was evaluated as a cathode material for AIBs. Electrochemical measurements show that anthracene has a high specific capacity of 157 mAh g À 1 (at 100 mA g À 1 ) and still maintains a specific capacity of 130 mAh g À 1 after 800 cycles. This work provides a feasible "theory guides practice" research model for the development of energy storage materials, and also provides a new class of promising cathode materials for AIBs.

The elemental composition, molecular skeleton vibration mode, and carbon-chain structure of iron-based modified biochar demercuration materials were studied on a microscopic scale using a variety of characterization methods. A three-dimensional molecular structure monomer model of iron-based modified biochar with defective carbon rings doped with high-valence metals was constructed. The reaction path of Hg0 adsorption on the surface of iron-based modified biochar was studied. The activation energy barrier and the rate-determining step of Hg0 adsorption on the surface of iron-based modified biochar were determined. Then, two reaction mechanisms and the corresponding bonding mechanism of Hg0 adsorption on modified biochar were proposed. In addition, the feasibility of regenerating biochar with different load ratios was verified and the regeneration reaction mechanism of inactivated biochar at different adsorption sites was revealed. The results show that the molecular structure of iron-based modified biochar is dominated by polycyclic aromatic carbon, and its molecular formula is C45H24O12NFe. Adsorption sites on iron-based modified biochar surface are not unique. A heterogeneous oxidation reaction occurs between Hg0, a Lewis base, and modified biochar, a Lewis acid. Hg-O-Fe-O x –1 and the complex Hg-OM are the main products of Hg0 oxidation. Oxygen vacancies with electrons are the chemical adsorption sites, and Fe3+, lattice oxygen, and chemisorbed oxygen are the main oxidation sites on the modified biochar. The coupling of these four constituents enables the adsorption and oxidation of Hg0. Inactivated biochar can be regenerated by supplementing the lost lattice oxygen or chemisorbed oxygen with more oxygen. The maximum mercury adsorption efficiency decreased to 90% of the primary mercury adsorption efficiency. This study quantitatively revealed the mercury adsorption mechanism of iron-based modified biochar and the regeneration mechanism of inactivated biochar, laying a foundation for further improvements in the mercury adsorption efficiency of metal-modified biochar.

The lower electro-stripping/plating potential of Al3+/Al (-1.68V) than that of H+/H2 seriously impedes the performance of rechargeable aqueous aluminum-ion batteries (AAIBs). Besides, the Al plate is easily being corroded in...