Key Materials for Potassium-Ion Batteries: Overcoming Challenges and Opening Up Horizons for Commercialization

Potassium-ion batteries (PIBs), as a promising next-generation energy storage technology, have garnered widespread attention within the energy field due to their distinct advantages over lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), particularly their superior low-temperature performance, fast-charging capabilities, and the abundance of potassium resources. However, the commercialization of PIBs still faces a series of critical technical challenges that need to be broken through, including the inadequate structural stability of electrode materials, insufficient energy density, poor rate performance, high flammability, and suboptimal matching between electrodes and electrolytes. This review systematically summarizes the current progress of PIB research, with a particular emphasis on key materials design and system optimization strategies that align with practical and commercial application demands. It highlights recent advances in the development of cathode and anode materials, innovative electrolyte formulations, separator technologies, and full battery configurations. Furthermore, the key technological bottlenecks hindering industrialization are critically analyzed, and potential pathways to overcome them are discussed. Finally, future research directions and industrialization strategies are proposed by bridging fundamental materials research with real-world performance requirements, offering valuable insights and guidance for the commercialization of PIBs and supporting their transition from laboratory research to practical application.