Beyond Conventional Batteries: Strategies towards Low-Cost Dual-Ion Batteries with High Performance.

Abstract

Rocking-chair based lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have extensively applied to consumer electronics and electric vehicles (EVs) for solving the present worldwide issues of fossil fuel exhaustion and environmental pollution. However, due to the growing unprecedented demand of LIBs on the imminent commercialization in EVs and grid-scale energy storage stations, and a shortage of lithium and cobalt resources, the increasing cost gives impetus to exploit low-cost rechargeable battery systems. Dual-ion batteries (DIBs), in which both cations and anions involve in the electrochemical redox reaction, are one of the most promising candidates to meet the low-cost requirements of commercial applications, because of their high working voltage, excellent safety, and environmental friendliness compared to conventional rocking-chair based LIBs. However, it should also be aware that the DIB technologies still are on the stage of fundamental research and considerable effort is required to improve the energy density and cycle life further. In this article, we will detailedly review the development history and current situations, and discuss all the reaction kinetics involved in DIBs, including various anionic intercalation mechanism of cathodes, and kinetic reaction mechanism of anodes including intercalation, alloying, etc. to explore promising strategies towards low-cost DIBs with high performance.