Rechargeable aqueous Zn-LiMn2O4 hybrid batteries with high performance and safety for energy storage

The ever-increasing renewable energy industry arouses tremendous demands for high-performance, low-cost, and safe energy storage devices. In recent years, novel Zn-LiMn2O4 hybrid batteries are considered a promising alternative for large-scale energy storage because of the high energy density, low cost, inherent safety, and environmental friendliness which are derived from the electrode materials (Zn and LiMn2O4) and the aqueous electrolyte. However, Zn-LiMn2O4 hybrid batteries are still away from practical applications due to the challenges like unstable Zn electrodes and capacity fading of LiMn2O4. Many researchers devote efforts and propose some effective strategies for elevating performance and stability in recent years. Herein, recent achievements in Zn-LiMn2O4 hybrid batteries are comprehensively summarized in this article. To understand the features of Zn-LiMn2O4 hybrid batteries in-depth, the developments of LiMn2O4 electrode, Zn electrode, and aqueous electrolyte are depicted, respectively, including the material development and structure construction. Moreover, the remaining challenges and development perspectives are proposed. This work is expected to serve as a reference for the further development of practical Zn-LiMn2O4 hybrid batteries.