Science and Technology of Advanced Materials

Innovations in Water-Based and Sustainable Energy Storage

As the global demand for energy continues to rise, the need for safe, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable energy storage technologies has never been more critical. Among the various approaches, aqueous-based electrochemical energy storage devices have emerged as promising alternatives to conventional organic solvent systems. These water-based systems offer inherent safety, low cost, and environmental compatibility, making them better candidates for large-scale energy storage and applications where safety and sustainability are paramount. Recent advances in energy materials design, interface engineering, and system integration have significantly improved the performance, lifespan, and applicability of aqueous energy storage devices. This Artical Collection, Innovations in Water-Based and Sustainable Energy Storage, seeks to bring together cutting-edge research in this dynamic field, highlighting novel materials, mechanisms, and device architectures that push the boundaries of aqueous electrochemical storage systems.

Developing sustainable and scalable energy storage systems is essential to achieving a clean energy future. Traditional battery chemistries often rely on flammable, toxic, or expensive components, raising safety and environmental concerns. In contrast, aqueous systems use water as the primary electrolyte, offering inherent safety and simplified/low cost manufacturing. Additionally, many aqueous batteries and supercapacitors can be constructed from earth-abundant materials, further reducing environmental impact and cost. With growing interest in long-duration grid storage, electric mobility, and decentralized power systems, aqueous technologies are increasingly seen as viable candidates for supporting renewable energy deployment. Moreover, innovations in material design, solid–liquid interfaces, and hybrid architectures have opened new pathways for improving energy density, cycle life, and operational stability. This Collection aims to spotlight these advancements and accelerate the development of sustainable energy storage solutions.

This Article Collection welcomes original research and reviews related to aqueous-based and sustainable energy storage technologies. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, novel electrode and electrolyte materials for aqueous batteries and supercapacitors, interface engineering, hybrid or multi-ion systems, scalable synthesis strategies, and device integration for practical applications. We are particularly interested in studies that explore fundamental mechanisms, demonstrate enhanced performance through innovative material and device design, or provide insights into scalable and long-duration energy storage capability.

Yat Li is a Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of California, Santa Cruz. His research focuses on low-dimensional materials for electrochemical energy storage and conversion. He is recognized for designing architected and compositionally engineered materials for use in batteries, supercapacitors, photoelectrochemical water splitting, and microbial fuel cells. He has published widely in high-impact journals and serves on the editorial boards of several leading scientific publications.

Xihong Lu is a Professor of School of Chemistry at Sun Yat-sen University. His current research focuses on the design and synthesis of functional nanomaterials for applications in energy conversion and storage (aqueous rechargeable batteries, supercapacitors, Zn air batteries and electrochemical water splitting).

All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo a full peer-review; the Guest Advisor for this Collection will not be handling the manuscripts (unless they are an Editorial Board member).

Please review the journal scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is 31 December 2026.

Please contact Agnes Zhou at [email protected] with any queries and discount codes regarding this Article Collection.

For Taylor and Francis Journals: Please be sure to select the appropriate Article Collection from the drop-down menu in the submission system.