Minireview on Aqueous Zinc–Sulfur Batteries: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives

An aqueous zinc–sulfur battery (AZSB) represents a promising next-generation energy storage technology as a result of its salient features of safety, affordability, and environmental benignity. The incorporation of earth-abundant and environmentally friendly sulfur cathodes, zinc anodes, and aqueous electrolytes, coupled with the high theoretical energy density, positions an AZSB as a cost-effective and scalable technology with potential applications in grid-scale energy storage and portable electronics. This review provides a comprehensive review of the current status of research in AZSBs, discussing challenges faced, recent advances, and future perspectives. The major challenges associated with the aqueous electrolyte, zinc anode, and sulfur cathode are discussed in detail with a rational classification. These challenges limit the performance, cycling stability, and overall efficiency of AZSBs. Various strategies to address these issues, including electrolyte modification and electrode design, are critically analyzed and evaluated. Specifically, the review highlights recent advancements in research, including the development of advanced electrolytes by adding additives and the synthesis of novel electrode materials for enhanced electrochemical performance. Further, the utility of advanced characterization techniques for understanding and predicting the reaction mechanism occurring in an AZSB is reviewed. Along with a review of ongoing research activities in the field, future prospects and potential applications of this novel battery technology are also explored. Overall, this review identifies the need for continued research and development efforts to overcome the remaining challenges and, thus, realize the full potential of AZSBs in practical energy storage applications.