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Open Access Review Article Just Accepted
Covalent organic frameworks as multifunctional platforms for durable and high-energy-density zinc-iodine batteries
Nano Research Energy
Available online: 23 July 2026
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Aqueous zinc-iodine batteries (AZIBs) have attracted increasing attention as promising candidates for next-generation energy storage because of their intrinsic safety, low cost, and high theoretical capacity. However, their practical application is still limited by sluggish redox kinetics, the shuttle effect of soluble polyiodides, self-discharge, zinc corrosion, and dendrite growth. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), featuring ordered pore channels, tunable pore-wall chemistry, designable active sites, and robust covalent skeletons, provide versatile platforms for addressing these issues. This review summarizes recent progress in COF-based materials for AZIBs from the perspective of structure–function relationships. After briefly introducing the working mechanisms and key challenges of AZIBs, the roles of COFs in iodine confinement, polyiodide adsorption, redox-kinetics regulation, and Zn²⁺ transport modulation are discussed, with attention to their application as cathode hosts, separator modifiers, and quasi-solid-state electrolytes. Representative COFs are further classified into neutral conjugated-framework COFs, Tp/TpPa-type COFs, ionic COFs, and metallated COFs, with emphasis on how framework conjugated structures, polar or ionic sites, and metal centers influence electrochemical performance. In particular, ordered nanochannels and functional pore walls enable physical confinement and chemical regulation of iodine species, while catalytic or redox-active sites promote reversible iodine conversion and improve cycling stability. Finally, the remaining challenges and future design strategies of COF-based AZIBs are discussed.

Research Article Issue
A robust graphene oxide memristor enabled by organic pyridinium intercalation for artificial biosynapse application
Nano Research 2023, 16(8): 11278-11287
Published: 24 May 2023
Abstract PDF (6 MB) Collect
Downloads:150

Graphene oxide (GO)-based memristors offer the promise of low cost, eco-friendliness, and mechanical flexibility, making them attractive candidates for outstanding flexible electronic devices. However, their resistive transitions often display abrupt change rather than bidirectional progressive tuning, which largely limits their applications for biological synapse emulation and neuromorphic computing. Here, a memristor with a novel layered structure of GO/pyridinium/GO is presented with tunable bidirectional feature. The inserted organic pyridinium intercalation succeeds in serving as a satisfactory buffer layer to intrinsically control the formation of conductive filaments during device operation, leading to progressive conductance regulation. Thus, the essential synaptic behaviors including analog memory characteristics, excitatory postsynaptic current, paired pulse facilitation, prepulse inhibition, spike-timing-dependent plasticity, and spike-rate-dependent plasticity are replicated. The emulation of brain-like “learning-forgetting-relearning” process is also implemented. Additionally, the instant responses of the memristor can be stimulated by low operational voltages and short pulse widths. This study paves one way for GO-based memristors to actuate appealing features such as bidirectional tuning and fast speed switching that are desirable for the development of bio-inspired neuromorphic systems.

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