Research Progress on Nanomaterials for Advanced Energy Storage Materials

Dear Colleagues,

The relentless pursuit of higher energy density, enhanced safety and extended cycle life in electrochemical energy storage has cemented the status of lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries as pivotal technologies. Within this landscape, nanotechnology provides powerful tools to transcend the limitations of conventional materials. Precise engineering at the nanoscale enables unprecedented control over ionic transport pathways, mechanical stability and interfacial dynamics, which are fundamental to breakthroughs in battery performance.

This Special Issue, entitled "Research Progress on Nanomaterials for Advanced Energy Storage Materials," is dedicated to capturing the most significant recent advances in this vibrant field. It will spotlight interdisciplinary research that bridges materials science, electrochemistry and engineering. A core objective is to showcase innovative nano-architected materials—such as organic–inorganic hybrids with tailored layered-columnar structures for ultrafast ion conduction and exceptional durability. Furthermore, we aim to highlight the growing intersection of electrochemistry and mechanics, particularly the development of integrated strain sensing technologies. The incorporation of nanomaterial-based sensors for in situ monitoring of internal strain and temperature represents a transformative strategy for early safety warning and offers profound insights into mechanical degradation processes during operation.

We cordially invite the submission of original research articles and comprehensive reviews that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:

• Novel Nanomaterials for Electrodes and Electrolytes: Design, synthesis and characterization of nano-structured cathodes (e.g., high-entropy oxides, polyanionic frameworks) and anodes, as well as advanced solid-state and composite electrolytes.
• Nanoscale Interface Engineering: Innovative strategies for stabilizing electrode-electrolyte interfaces, elucidating ion transport mechanisms and mitigating deleterious side reactions.
• In situ/OperandoCharacterization: Advanced spectroscopic, microscopic and diffraction techniques to probe the real-time structural and chemical evolution of nanomaterials during battery operation.
• Nanomaterials for Safety and Sensing: Development of nano-sensors, strain probes and multifunctional platforms for real-time monitoring of internal states (e.g., strain, temperature, pressure) to enable predictive safety systems and lifetime assessment.
• Multi-scale Modeling and AI-Driven Discovery: Computational studies, multi-physics modeling and machine-learning approaches for predicting material properties, elucidating degradation mechanisms and accelerating the design of novel nanomaterials.

By providing a dedicated forum for high-quality research, this Special Issue seeks to foster cross-disciplinary collaboration and accelerate the development of next-generation batteries that are not only high-performing but also intrinsically safe and durable.

We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions.

Dr. Yufang Chen
Prof. Dr. Hongbo Shu
Guest Editors

Dr. Di Lu
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nanomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• lithium-ion batteries
• sodium-ion batteries
• nanomaterials
• cathode materials
• strain sensing
• battery safety
• in situ characterization
• interface engineering