Emerging Advanced Photo-Rechargeable Batteries

The depletion of fossil fuels necessitates the efficient utilization of solar energy and the urgent resolution of its instability, intermittency, and storage challenges. Photo-rechargeable batteries, which integrate solar cells and energy storage batteries to convert solar energy into electricity and store it as chemical energy, have gradually emerged as a novel research direction to meet the energy demands of various standalone applications such as building facades, mobile transportation devices, and outdoor settings. This review elucidates the device structure, working principles, and key parameters of photo-rechargeable batteries. Furthermore, various photo-rechargeable battery systems such as lithium-ion battery, lithium-sulfur battery, sodium-ion battery, zinc-ion battery, and aluminum-ion battery are categorized and summarized, detailing their composition, operational mechanisms, and photoelectric performance. Finally, the future research directions of photo-rechargeable batteries are delineated, advocating for the exploration of dual-functional materials that integrate light conversion and energy storage. Specifically, emphasis is placed on studying the compatibility between optical and energy storage materials, investigating new battery operation mechanisms under illumination conditions, considering the imperative of achieving high stability and overall efficiency to enhance device performance, and elucidating the future application pathways of these technologies. This review elucidates the device structure, working principles, and key parameters of photo-rechargeable batteries. Furthermore, various photo-rechargeable battery systems such as lithium-ion battery, lithium-sulfur battery, sodium-ion battery, zinc-ion battery, and aluminum-ion battery are categorized and summarized, detailing their composition, operational mechanisms, and photoelectric performance. Finally, the challenges and future research directions of photo-rechargeable batteries are delineated. image