The Promotion of Research Progress of Zinc Manganate Cathode Materials for Zinc-Ion Batteries by Characterization and Analysis Technology

Zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) have recently attracted great interest and are regarded as a promising energy storage device due to their low cost, environmental friendliness, and superior safety. However, the development of suitable Zn-ion intercalation cathode materials remains a great challenge, resulting in unsatisfactory ZIBs that cannot meet commercial demands. Considering that spinel-type LiMn2O4 has been shown to be a successful Li intercalation host, spinel-like ZnMn2O4 (ZMO) is expected to be a good candidate for ZIBs cathodes. This paper first introduces the zinc storage mechanism of ZMO and then reviews the promotion of research progress in improving the interlayer spacing, structural stability, and diffusivity of ZMO, including the introduction of different intercalated ions, introduction of defects, and design of different morphologies and in combination with other materials. The development status and future research directions of ZMO-based ZIBs characterization and analysis techniques are summarized.