Antiperovskite active materials for metal-ion batteries: Expected advantages, limitations, and perspectives

Metal-ion batteries, particularly lithium-ion (Li-ion) and sodium-ion (Na-ion) batteries, are currently among the most compelling technologies for energy storage. However, the growing demands driven by wide implementation of batteries in multiple applications call for further improvements of energy and power densities. Despite the incredible developments in this field observed over the past decades, the innovation of new active materials for metal-ion batteries has seen only modest progress, with primary focus on the optimization of already existing materials. The recent discovery of cathode materials with antiperovskite structure signals a promising direction for the creation of relatively simple materials geared towards electrochemical energy storage. These materials can be synthesized through relatively simple chemical processes using abundant elements and could offer stable electrochemical performance. Even though the number of reported examples is still limited, the structural flexibility of these materials offers multiple possibilities for tuning the chemical stability, operating voltage and capacity. This perspective provides a summary of the latest advancements in the field of antiperovskite active materials, highlighting both the advantages and the challenges associated with their integration into metal-ion batteries, and suggests possible future research directions towards practical implementation of this promising yet underexplored class of materials.