Element Optimization in NASICON Phosphates Enhances Sodium Storage Performance

NASICON materials have undergone significant development, transitioning from single-transition-metal systems like sodium vanadium phosphate to multi-element compositions designed for diverse performance metrics. This review highlights the iterative advancements in NASICON materials, focusing on their evolution, challenges, and future directions. Early single-element systems offer stability but face limitations such as high costs and low capacities, driving research toward dual- and multi-element systems to achieve higher capacity, better low-temperature performance, and enhance cost-effectiveness. Despite progress, challenges remain in elemental optimization, including synthesis inconsistencies, limited electrochemical analysis techniques, and unclear doping mechanisms. These issues hinder the precise understanding of material behavior and optimization strategies. To address these challenges, key pathways are proposed for future research: multifunctional elemental optimization, high-entropy materials for synergistic effects, gradient doping for precise control, and AI-driven approaches for accelerating material discovery and performance analysis. AI, particularly machine learning and deep learning, offers transformative potential in optimizing NASICON materials and shortening development cycles. By integrating advanced characterization, computational modeling, and interdisciplinary innovations, this review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of NASICON materials and pave the way for their widespread application in sodium-ion batteries.