Tailored Electronegativity‐Driven Naphthoquinone‐Based Cathodes With Boosted Active Sites for High‐Performance Aqueous Zinc‐Organic Batteries

Aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (AZIBs) have gained considerable attention as viable candidates for next‐generation energy storage, driven by their environmental sustainability, economic feasibility, and enhanced operational safety. Although quinone‐based organic electrodes offer high theoretical capacity and favorable reaction kinetics, their practical application remains hindered by structural degradation and inefficient active site utilization. In this work, we have developed partially conjugated organic molecules based on 1,4‐naphthoquinone, integrated with flexible sulfide bridging units. The tailored molecular frameworks allow structural expansion while minimizing electrochemically inert components, thereby achieving both high specific capacity and improved structural stability. Meantime, the partial conjugation in these sulfide‐bridged naphthoquinones retains the autonomy of individual redox‐active centers while preserving molecular flexibility, which collectively enables pronounced redox activity and fast reaction kinetics. Moreover, the strategic incorporation of thioether bonds imparts an optimal spatial arrangement in 2,2′‐(thiobis(4,1‐phenylene)bis(azanediyl))bis(naphthalene‐1,4‐dione) (ANQ) and simultaneously optimizes its electronic structure, generating an electrostatic funneling effect that enlarges the electroactive region and directs Zn 2+ toward the reactive centers, activating all four carbonyl groups. Consequently, the highly zincophilic ANQ electrode delivers a reversible capacity of 236.6 mAh g −1 at 0.05 A g −1 , remarkable rate performance of 155 mAh g −1 at 50 A g −1 , and ultralong cycling lifetime exceeding 100 000 cycles.