A critical discussion of the current availability of lithium and zinc for use in batteries

Abstract

In the literature on zinc-based batteries, it is often highlighted that zinc offers significant advantages over lithium due to its abundance, affordability, and accessibility. Additionally, aqueous rechargeable zinc batteries are promoted as a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to lithium-ion batteries, especially for renewable energy storage. The aim of this Comment is to provide a perspective on these statements, elucidating their foundations and implications and giving a quick but comprehensive background to authors and readers that deal with this topic, focusing specifically on batteries with zinc ions shuttling reversibly between the metallic negative electrode and the insertion-type positive electrode. Aqueous zinc batteries are currently being explored as potential alternatives to non-aqueous lithium-ion batteries. In this comment, the authors highlight zinc’s global supply chain resilience and lower material costs yet caution about its higher mass requirement for comparable charge storage.