Review on the application and research progress of chalcopyrite materials in the field of energy storage

To tackle the storage challenges posed by renewable energy sources like wind, tidal, solar energy, and so on, there has been a surge in research on high-performance energy storage devices and their electrode materials. Chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) has emerged as a promising candidate electrode material due to its excellent conductivity, numerous active centers providing higher theoretical capacity, and the abundance of natural resources, etc. Consequently, CuFeS2 has received more and more attention in energy storage devices such as lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, supercapacitors, making it an ideal choice for the next generation of commercially viable electrode materials. This article presented a comprehensive review of the application of CuFeS2 in energy storage, having been exploring both its natural occurrence and artificially synthesized forms. Firstly, the ore-forming principles, beneficiation, and purification processes of natural CuFeS2 and its practical applications in energy storage were discussed. Secondly, the application of synthetic CuFeS2 in energy storage was investigated, revealing the energy storage mechanism of this material. However, two major challenges are hindering the widespread application of CuFeS2 in the energy storage domain: volume expansion and low electrical conductivity. Volume expansion and low electrical conductivity are the two main challenges that limit the application of CuFeS2 in energy storage. Finally, comprehensive strategies such as nanosizing, material microstructure control, elemental doping and carbon material composite are proposed as the main ways to solve the above challenges. The ultimate goal of this paper is to offer both theoretical guidance and technological approaches to support the commercial application of CuFeS2 in the field of energy storage.