Recent Advances of Transition Metal Sulfides/Selenides Cathodes for Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries

Abstract

Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) have aroused tremendous attention in energy storage system due to their high safety, eco-friendliness, low cost, and for their good compatibility. Transition metal sulfides and selenides are considered to be promising cathodes for aqueous ZIBs owing to their unique layered structure and tunable interlayer spacing for the accelerating diffusion and reversible intercalation of hydrated Zn²⁺. However, their practical applications are severely impeded by some defects, such as the inferior electronic conductivity, large ion diffusion energy barrier, and bad cyclic stability. In this review, the various modification strategies including phase engineering, defect engineering, interlayer intercalation, in situ electrochemical oxidation, hybridization, doping effects, and surface modification are categorized and highlighted to improve the electrochemical properties of transition metal sulfides and selenides cathode materials, which are discussed and summarized corresponding to particular modification strategies. Finally, several key breakthrough directions such as mechanism exploration technology, electrolyte strategies, synergistic engineering, high-capacity conversion-type, high-voltage cathode materials, and rocking-chair type batteries are proposed to further push forward the development of aqueous ZIBs, to guide the design of advanced-properties cathode materials for aqueous ZIBs.