Advanced cathode materials and efficient electrolytes for rechargeable batteries: Practical challenges and future perspectives

Increasing dependence on rechargeable batteries has led researchers to investigate the characteristics of materials and various crucial parameters, which could enhance their overall performance in terms of stability, charge density, and durability. Besides this, lately, the primary focus is on the safety challenges associated with these architectures. An in-depth understanding of materials' behaviour in a highly complex electrochemical milieu is highly critical for the designing and development of new materials for the next-generation rechargeable batteries. Therefore, this review provides a concise insight into the research efforts enabling us to understand the challenges associated with the electrode and electrolyte materials used in various types of batteries. The first section is dedicated to the materials used in multiple types of electrodes, followed by various kinds of electrolytes and their critical analyses with merits and demerits. A comparison of selective advanced cathode materials and efficient electrolytes utilized in rechargeable energy devices is provided. A three-step safety mechanism with its schematic is critically discussed in the later part of this review. The final section extensively analyzes the possible solutions to the challenges related to materials and safety, and the future perspective of rechargeable batteries. This review is a significant step forward to provide key knowledge and understanding about the nature of advanced materials which is essential for designing durable and high energy rechargeable batteries.