Prelithiation Bridges the Gap for Developing Next-Generation Lithium-Ion Batteries/Capacitors

The ever-growing market of portable electronics and electric vehicles has spurred extensive research for advanced lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) with high energy density. High-capacity alloy- and conversion-type anodes are explored to replace the conventional graphite anode. However, one common issue plaguing these anodes is the large initial capacity loss caused by the solid electrolyte interface formation and other irreversible parasitic reactions, which decrease the total energy density and prevent further market integration. Prelithiation becomes indispensable to compensate for the initial capacity loss, enhance the full cell cycling performance, and bridge the gap between laboratory studies and the practical requirements of advanced LIBs. This review summarizes the various emerging anode and cathode prelithiation techniques, the key barriers, and the corresponding strategies for manufacturing-compatible and scalable prelithiation. Furthermore, prelithiation as the primary Li⁺ donor enables the safe assembly of new-configured "beyond LIBs" (e.g., Li-ion/S and Li-ion/O₂ batteries) and high power-density Li-ion capacitors (LICs). The related progress is also summarized. Finally, perspectives are suggested on the future trend of prelithiation techniques to propel the commercialization of advanced LIBs/LICs.