Vanadium Tetrasulfide for Next-Generation Rechargeable Batteries: Advances and Challenges

Alkali metal-ion batteries (SIBs and PIBs) and multivalent metal-ion batteries (ZIBs, MIBs, and AIBs), among the next-generation rechargeable batteries, are deemed appealing alternatives to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) because of their cost competitiveness. Improving the electrochemical properties of electrode materials can greatly accelerate the pace of development in battery systems to cover the increasing demands of realistic applications. Vanadium tetrasulfide (VS4) is known as a prospective electrode material due to its unique one-dimensional atomic chain structure with a large chain spacing, weak interactions between adjacent chains, and high sulfur content. This review summarizes the synthetic strategies and recent advances of VS4 as cathodes/anodes for rechargeable batteries. Meanwhile, we describe the structural characteristics and electrochemical properties of VS4. And we describe in detail its specific applications in batteries such as SIBs, PIBs, ZIBs, MIBs, and AIBs as well as modification strategies. Finally, the opportunities and challenges of VS4 in the domain of energy research are described.