Rechargeable aqueous zinc (Zn) ion‐based energy storage systems have been reviving recently because of their low cost and high safety merits; however, they still suffer from the problems of corrosion and dendrite growth on Zn metal anodes that cause gas generation and early battery failure. Unfortunately, the corrosion problem has not received sufficient attention until now. Here, it is pioneeringly demonstrated that decorating the Zn surface with a dual‐functional metallic indium (In) layer, acting as both a corrosion inhibitor and a nucleating agent, is a facile but effective strategy to suppress both drastic corrosion and dendrite growth. Symmetric cells assembled with the treated Zn electrodes can sustain up to 1500 h of plating/stripping cycles with an ultralow voltage hysteresis (54 mV), and a 5000 cycle‐life is achieved for a prototype full cell. This work will instigate the further development of aqueous metal‐based energy storage systems.

Adsorbed methane makes up a large portion of the total shale gas-in-place (GIP) resource in deep shale formations. In order to accurately estimate the shale GIP resource, it is crucial to understand the relationship between the adsorbed methane quantity and the free methane quantity of shale gas in shale formations (under high pressure conditions). This work describes and accurately predicts high pressure methane adsorption behavior in Longmaxi shale (China) using a dual-site Langmuir model. Laboratory measurements of high pressure methane adsorption (303-355 K and up to 27 MPa) are presented. Our findings show that for depths greater than 1000 m (> 15 MPa) in the subsurface, the shale gas resources have historically been significantly overestimated. For Longmaxi shale (2500-3000 m in depth), classical approaches overestimate the GIP by up to 35%. The ratio of the adsorbed phase compared to the free gas has been significantly underestimated. The methods used herein allow accurate estimations of the true shale GIP resource and the relative quantity of adsorbed methane at in situ temperatures and pressures representative of deep shale formations.

Mucilages are hydrocolloid solutions produced by plants for a variety of functions, including the creation of a water-holding barrier around seeds. Here we report our discovery of the formation of three distinct mucilage layers around Plantago ovata seeds upon their hydration. Each layer is dominated by different arabinoxylans (AXs). These AXs are unusual because they are highly branched and contain β-1,3-linked xylose in their side chains. We show that these AXs have similar monosaccharide and linkage composition, but vary in their polymer conformation. They also exhibit distinct rheological properties in aqueous solution, despite analytical techniques including NMR showing little difference between them. Using enzymatic hydrolysis and chaotropic solvents, we reveal that hydrogen bonding and side chain distribution are key factors underpinning the distinct rheological properties of these complex AXs.