Although current high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have taken over the commercial rechargeable battery market, increasing concerns about limited lithium resources, high cost, and insecurity of organic electrolyte scale-up limit their further development. Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs), an alternative battery chemistry, have paved the way not only for realizing environmentally benign and safe energy storage devices but also for reducing the manufacturing costs of next-generation batteries. This Review underscores recent advances in aqueous ZIBs; these include the design of a highly reversible Zn anode, optimization of the electrolyte, and a wide range of cathode materials and their energy storage mechanisms. We also present recent advanced techniques that aim at overcoming the current issues in aqueous ZIB systems. This Review on the future perspectives and research directions will provide a guide for future aqueous ZIB study.

Recent Advances in Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries

Aqueous zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) are truly promising contenders for the future large-scale electrical energy storage applications due to their cost-effectiveness, environmental friendliness, intri...

Active Materials for Aqueous Zinc Ion Batteries: Synthesis, Crystal Structure, Morphology, and Electrochemistry

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) show conspicuous potential in large-scale energy storage systems due to their cost-effectiveness and environmentally friendliness. Yet developmental cathodes in aqueous ZIBs suffer from sluggish Zn2+ diffusion kinetics. Herein, we introduce an effective strategy by the chemical intercalation of Li+ into the interlayer of V2O5·nH2O, i.e. LixV2O5·nH2O (LVO), with enlarged layer spacing and fast Zn2+ diffusion. As a cathode in aqueous ZIBs with a 2 M ZnSO4 electrolyte, the cotton-like LVO-250 demonstrates high rate capacities and excellent cycling performance (232 mA h g−1 after 500 cycles at 5 A g−1, and 192 mA h g−1 after 1000 cycles at 10 A g−1). The electrochemical reaction kinetics and zinc storage mechanism are investigated in detail.

Li+ intercalated V2O5·nH2O with enlarged layer spacing and fast ion diffusion as an aqueous zinc-ion battery cathode

In recent years, nanocrystals of metal sulfide materials have attracted scientific research interest for renewable energy applications due to the abundant choice of materials with easily tunable electronic, optical, physical and chemical properties. Metal sulfides are semiconducting compounds where sulfur is an anion associated with a metal cation; and the metal ions may be in mono-, bi- or multi-form. The diverse range of available metal sulfide materials offers a unique platform to construct a large number of potential materials that demonstrate exotic chemical, physical and electronic phenomena and novel functional properties and applications. To fully exploit the potential of these fascinating materials, scalable methods for the preparation of low-cost metal sulfides, heterostructures, and hybrids of high quality must be developed. This comprehensive review indicates approaches for the controlled fabrication of metal sulfides and subsequently delivers an overview of recent progress in tuning the chemical, physical, optical and nano- and micro-structural properties of metal sulfide nanocrystals using a range of material fabrication methods. For hydrogen energy production, three major approaches are discussed in detail: electrocatalytic hydrogen generation, powder photocatalytic hydrogen generation and photoelectrochemical water splitting. A variety of strategies such as structural tuning, composition control, doping, hybrid structures, heterostructures, defect control, temperature effects and porosity effects on metal sulfide nanocrystals are discussed and how they are exploited to enhance performance and develop future energy materials. From this literature survey, energy conversion currently relies on a limited range of metal sulfides and their composites, and several metal sulfides are immature in terms of their dissolution, photocorrosion and long-term durability in electrolytes during water splitting. Future research directions for innovative metal sulfides should be closely allied to energy and environmental issues, along with their advanced characterization, and developing new classes of metal sulfide materials with well-defined fabrication methods.

Recent advances in metal sulfides: from controlled fabrication to electrocatalytic, photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical water splitting and beyond

The zinc-ion battery (ZIB) is a 2 century-old technology but has recently attracted renewed interest owing to the possibility of switching from primary to rechargeable ZIBs. Nowadays, ZIBs employing a mild aqueous electrolyte are considered one of the most promising candidates for emerging energy storage systems (ESS) and portable electronics applications due to their environmental friendliness, safety, low cost, and acceptable energy density. However, there are many drawbacks associated with these batteries that have not yet been resolved. In this Review, we present the challenges and recent developments related to rechargeable ZIB research. Recent research trends and directions on electrode materials that can store Zn2+ and electrolytes that can improve the battery performance are comprehensively discussed.

Present and Future Perspective on Electrode Materials for Rechargeable Zinc-Ion Batteries

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have permeated energy storage market from portable electronics to electric vehicles in view of their high energy density and long cycle life.[1] Nevertheless, it is still expensive to scale up due to the limited Li sources.[2] In contrast, sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), with similar energy Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are promising next-generation alternatives due to the low cost and abundance of sodium sources. Yet developmental electrodes in SIBs such as transition metal sulfides have huge volume expansion, sluggish Na+ diffusion kinetics, and poor electrical conductivity. Here bimetallic sulfide (Co9S8/ZnS) nanocrystals embedded in hollow nitrogen-doped carbon nanosheets are demonstrated with a high sodium diffusion coefficient, pseudocapacitive effect, and excellent reversibility. Such a unique composite structure is designed and synthesized via a facile sulfidation of the CoZn-MOFs followed by calcination and is highly dependant on the reaction time and temperature. The optimized Co1Zn1-S(600) electrode exhibits excellent sodium storage performance, including a high capacity of 542 mA h g−1 at 0.1 A g−1, good rate capability at 10 A g−1, and excellent cyclic stability up to 500 cycles for half-cell. It also shows potential in full-cell configuration. Such capabilities will accelerate the adoption of sodium-ion batteries for electrical energy applications.

Observation of Pseudocapacitive Effect and Fast Ion Diffusion in Bimetallic Sulfides as an Advanced Sodium-Ion Battery Anode

Investigation of V2O5 as a low-cost rechargeable aqueous zinc ion battery cathode

Transition metal ion-preintercalated V2O5 as high-performance aqueous zinc-ion battery cathode with broad temperature adaptability

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/cey2.39

Layered hydrated vanadium oxide as highly reversible intercalation cathode for aqueous Zn‐ion batteries

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/aenm.201870092

Sodium-Ion Batteries: Observation of Pseudocapacitive Effect and Fast Ion Diffusion in Bimetallic Sulfides as an Advanced Sodium-Ion Battery Anode (Adv. Energy Mater. 19/2018)

Zhuoxi Wu

Papers

Observation of Pseudocapacitive Effect and Fast Ion Diffusion in Bimetallic Sulfides as an Advanced Sodium-Ion Battery Anode

Investigation of V2O5 as a low-cost rechargeable aqueous zinc ion battery cathode

Transition metal ion-preintercalated V2O5 as high-performance aqueous zinc-ion battery cathode with broad temperature adaptability

Layered hydrated vanadium oxide as highly reversible intercalation cathode for aqueous Zn‐ion batteries

Sodium-Ion Batteries: Observation of Pseudocapacitive Effect and Fast Ion Diffusion in Bimetallic Sulfides as an Advanced Sodium-Ion Battery Anode (Adv. Energy Mater. 19/2018)