Cathode materials for aqueous zinc-ion batteries: A mini review

Although lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have many advantages, they cannot satisfy the demands of numerous large energy storage industries owing to their high cost, low security, and low resource richness. Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) with low cost, high safety, and high synergistic efficiency have attracted an increasing amount of attention and are considered a promising choice to replace LIBs. However, the existing cathode materials for ZIBs have many shortcomings, such as poor electron and zinc ion conductivity and complex energy storage mechanisms. Thus, it is crucial to identify a cathode material with a stable structure, substantial limit, and suitability for ZIBs. In this review, several typical cathode materials for ZIBs employed in recent years and their detailed energy storage mechanisms are summarized, and various methods to enhance the electrochemical properties of ZIBs are briefly introduced. Finally, the existing problems and expected development directions of ZIBs are discussed.