Rational Modulation of Carbon Fibers for High‐Performance Zinc–Iodine Batteries

Abstract Zinc–iodine batteries (ZIBs) are regarded as promising energy storage devices due to their high performance and low cost. Nevertheless, their wide application is mainly limited by the preparation of iodine‐based cathode and dendrite‐free zinc anode. Flexible carbon fibers have attracted tremendous attention, due to their iodine encapsulation properties. This characteristic is a result of their porous structure, large surface area, and excellent intrinsic properties. With the development of carbon fibers for loading iodine, the surface properties can be rationally modulated via heteroatom doping and combination with various polymers can enhance battery performance. In this review, recent research advances on the functionalization of carbon fibers for ZIBs are summarized, with special focus on the pore size of carbon fibers, the species, and content of doping elements, and the selection of targeted polymers toward the loading of iodine. Finally, the prospects and future challenges of ZIBs based on carbon fibers are presented. The review aims to provide the basic guides for designing advanced iodine‐based electrode materials on the basis of carbon fibers with both compositional advantages and microporous structure to achieve high‐performance ZIBs.