Recent advance and design strategies of chalcogenides for high-performance aqueous zinc-ion batteries

Abstract Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have emerged as competitive alternatives for energy storage systems. By comparison with traditional cathode materials, the unique combination advantages of improved specific capacity, high electrical conductivity and tunable structures exhibited by chalcogenides contribute to receiving increasing attention. However, it should be noted that chalcogenides still show unsatisfactory electrochemical performance in aqueous batteries, because of their inferior chemical stability and sensitivity to pH value in aqueous media. Consequently, the application of chalcogenides in AZIBs still requires further investigation and optimization. This review offers a systematic summary of recent advancements in the rational design strategies employed to develop advanced cathode materials derived from chalcogenides. Furthermore, the review comprehensively presents the applications of various transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), as well as sulfur (S), selenium (Se), tellurium (Te), and their corresponding solid solutions, in advanced zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs). Lastly, the challenges currently confronting chalcogenides research are deliberated upon, followed by a perspective outlining future directions for practical applications of AZIBs.