Design, Perspective, and Challenge of Niobium-Based Anode Materials for High-Energy Alkali Metal-Ion Batteries

The rapid advancement of clean energy has aroused an increased demand for advanced energy storage systems. Alkali metal-ion batteries (AMIBs) including lithium/sodium/potassium-ion batteries (LIBs/SIBs/PIBs) play a crucial role in these systems, and their development is closely related to the progress of electrode materials. Niobium (Nb)-based materials exhibit distinctive features such as quasi-2D framework, high intercalation potential, robust pseudo-capacitance effect, and minimal volume expansion during cycles. These characteristics render them highly valuable for energy storage applications. However, the low conductivity and limited capacity of Nb-based electrode materials significantly limit their widespread development in energy storage applications. To address these challenges, various strategies have been explored. This review primarily summarizes the recent advancements in research on Nb-based anode materials for AMIBs over the past decade. The synthesis strategy, structure design, and material composite of Nb-based materials are systematically discussed, and the performances of different types of batteries are also well analyzed and compared. Meanwhile, their merits in the fast-charging realm are then highlighted. Importantly, this review presents the key issues and challenges encountered by Nb-based anode materials in future energy storage, along with novel concepts and solutions for the research and development of next-generation Nb-based anodes. This review provides a comprehensive summary of niobium-based anode materials, including synthesis strategy, structural design, and their applications in alkali metal-ion batteries. An in-depth insight into the structure-performance correlation is given, and rational design concepts and future development directions specifically tailored to fast-charging applications are also highlighted, aiming at broadening the advanced energy storage applications of niobium-based materials. image