Prof. Dr. Xinliang Feng
TU Dresden
Prof. Dr. Xinliang Feng
About the Speaker
Prof. Feng is a director of the Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics and the head of the Chair of Molecular Functional Materials at Technische Universität Dresden. His current scientific interests include synthetic methodology for new-type of polymers, organic and polymer synthesis, interfacial chemistry, supramolecular chemistry of π-conjugated system, bottom-up synthesis of carbon nanostructures and graphene nanoribbons, organic 2D crystals including 2D (supramolecular) polymers, 2D conjugated polymers and 2D conjugated metal-organic frameworks for opto-electronics, spintronics, molecular quantum and computing devices, electrochemical exfoliation of 2D crystals, graphene and 2D materials for energy storage and conversion, new energy devices and technologies. He has published >800 research articles which have attracted >137000 citations with H-index of 187 (Google Scholar).
He has been awarded several prestigious prizes such as IUPAC Prize for Young Chemists (2009), European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant Award (2012), Journal of Materials Chemistry Lectureship Award (2013), ChemComm Emerging Investigator Lectureship (2014), Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC, 2014), Highly Cited Researcher (Thomson Reuters, 2014-2025), Small Young Innovator Award (2017), Hamburg Science Award (2017), EU-40 Materials Prize (2018), ERC Consolidator Grant Award (2018), ERC Synergy Grant Award (2024), Graphene Honorary Award (2025). He is an elected member of the European Academy of Sciences (2019), member of the Academia Europaea (2019), member of the German Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech, 2021), and member of the German Academy of Sciences (Leopoldina, 2024). He is an Advisory Board Member for Advanced Materials, Chemical Science, Journal of Materials Chemistry A, Energy Storage Materials, Chemistry -An Asian Journal, ChemNanoMat, etc. He is the Head of Graphene Center Dresden, and spokesperson for the DFG Collaborative Research Center for the Chemistry of Synthetic 2D Materials (2020-).
Abstract
Aqueous Metal-Ion Batteries: From Printable Electronics to Large-Scale Energy Storage Systems
Xinliang Feng
1 Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics
2 Technische Universitaet Dresden
xinliang.feng@mpi-halle.mpg.de
Batteries are central to the global decarbonization strategy, enabling the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy systems. It is projected that the global demand for battery capacity will increase from the current 2–3 TWh to over 9–10 TWh within the next decade, driving rapid expansion of the energy storage market. However, state-of-the-art technologies, including lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), lead–acid batteries (LABs), and nickel–metal hydride batteries (NiMHs), face critical challenges such as limited resource availability (e.g., Li, Co, Ni, and graphite), safety concerns, toxicity, and self-discharge, which hinder their sustainable large-scale deployment. In this context, aqueous metal-ion batteries (AMIBs) have emerged as a promising alternative, offering intrinsic safety, low cost, environmental benignity, and scalability. These systems, encompassing monovalent (Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺), multivalent (Zn²⁺, Al³⁺), and proton-based chemistries, hold considerable potential for both grid-level storage and emerging electronics. Nevertheless, their practical implementation remains limited by fundamental challenges, including the narrow electrochemical stability window of water, insufficient cathode capacity, interfacial instability, and dendrite formation at metal anodes. In this talk, I will present our recent advances in addressing these challenges through the design of novel materials and device concepts. In particular, we focus on two-dimensional (2D) organic and inorganic layered materials as highly tunable platforms for electrode active materials, as well as functional interfaces and membranes. Complementary to this, we develop advanced aqueous and quasi-solid-state electrolytes to regulate interfacial reactions and expand the operational window. By integrating these components, we explore diverse cell configurations, including rocking-chair, dual-ion, and flow-type systems, to bridge fundamental materials design with practical device architectures. Furthermore, we extend these concepts toward flexible and printable energy storage devices. By employing printable graphene and 2D materials as functional inks, we demonstrate aqueous and solid-state batteries compatible with scalable fabrication technologies, targeting applications in wearable electronics and distributed energy systems. These efforts highlight a pathway toward next-generation aqueous battery technologies that unify safety, sustainability, and performance, spanning applications from micro-scale printable electronics to large-scale energy storage infrastructures.