Recent progress and prospects of rare earth elements for advanced aqueous zinc batteries

Rare earth elements, a collective name for 17 metallic elements of scandium, yttrium, and lanthanides of Group IIIB in the chemical periodic table with unique properties. Exploring the application of rare earth elements in the field of advanced energy storage devices is greatly interesting owing to their special properties. This review focuses on the current research status of rare earth elements in the field of aqueous rechargeable zinc batteries, including the cathode, anode and electrolyte, and the corresponding unique role of rare earth elements in the enhancement of performance, such as the improvement of capacity, reinforcement of electrochemical kinetics, and stabilized cycling performance at higher current density. Finally, promising strategies for developing high-performance aqueous zinc batteries are pointed out by utilizing rare earth elements from the aspects of cathode doping, anode modification, and electrolyte optimization. We analyze the unique roles played by rare earth elements from the three perspectives of cathode, anode and electrolyte. We summarize their potential applications and rational optimization strategies towards electrodes, separators and electrolytes.