Advanced photo-rechargeable lithium- and zinc-ion batteries: Progress and prospect

With the increasing energy scarcity worldwide, the development and utilization of renewable energy sources are extremely urgent. Among the renewable energy sources, the solar energy is one of the most important and clean energy sources that we have not yet utilized efficiently. One of the most prominent problems in using solar energy is the intermittency of sunlight. Newly developed photo-rechargeable batteries can effectively convert and store solar energy in a two-electrode battery, offering a unique solution of energy storage with a simpler configuration and more efficient use of solar energy. However, several problems remain to be solved for the development of high-performance photo-rechargeable batteries with high energy conversion efficiency and cycling stability. This review briefly introduces the working mechanism of two-electrode photo-rechargeable batteries, and mainly focuses on the significant research progress and the application prospects of photo-rechargeable Li- and Zn-ion batteries. Furthermore, the future development and potential strategies for the design of high-performance photo-rechargeable Li- and Zn-ion batteries are presented.