Journey of olivine materials from classic to state-of-the-art technologies for next-generation batteries

Olivine-group materials have garnered significant interest for their application in rechargeable batteries due to their distinctive and fascinating properties. However, olivine was originally known as a material composing the Earth's mantle and its structure has been studied long before it was explored for use in batteries. In the context of battery applications, there are many materials that adopt the olivine-group structure, in addition to the typical LiFePO4. Furthermore, recent research has also progressed on post-lithium materials alongside lithium-based systems. In this review article, the structural and electrochemical properties of olivine-group materials are outlined. We begin with a general overview of the structures of these materials, followed by a detailed investigation of their applications in battery technologies. After outlining their structural characteristics, we summarize the detailed synthesis routes and the representative electrochemical performances of various olivine- group materials including the lithium system as well as sodium, potassium, and magnesium systems, providing a comprehensive understanding of their electrochemical properties and potential uses for future energy storage systems.