Multi-ion Engineering Strategies Towards High Performance Aqueous Zinc-based Batteries.

As alternatives to the batteries with organic electrolytes, the aqueous zinc-based batteries (AZBs) have been intensively studies. However, the sluggish kinetics, side reactions, structural collapse, and dissolution of cathode severely compromise the commercialization of AZBs. Among various strategies to accelerate their practical applications, multi-ion engineering shows great feasibility to maintain the original structure of cathode and provide sufficient energy density for high-performance AZBs. Though multi-ion engineering strategies could solve most of the problems encountered by AZBs and show great potential in achieving practical AZBs, the comprehensive summaries of the batteries undergo electrochemical reactions involving more than one charge carriers is still in deficiency. The ambiguous nomenclature and classification are becoming the fountainhead of confusion and chaos. In this circumstance, this review overviews all the battery configurations and the corresponding reaction mechanisms investigated in the multi-ion engineering of aqueous zinc-based batteries. By combing through all the reported works, we are the first to nomenclate the different configurations according to the reaction mechanisms of the additional ions, laying the foundation for future unified discussions. The performance enhancement, fundamental challenges, future developing direction of multi-ion strategies are accordingly proposed, aiming to further accelerate the pace to achieve the commercialization of AZBs with high-performance. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.