Recent advances in metal nitrides as high-performance electrode materials for energy storage devices

Energy storage devices are the key components for successful and sustainable energy systems. Some of the best types of energy storage devices right now include lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors. Research in this area has greatly improved electrode materials, enhanced electrolytes, and conceived clever designs for device assemblies with the ever-increasing energy and power density for electronics. Electrode materials are the fundamental key components for energy storage devices that largely determine the electrochemical performance of energy storage devices. Various materials such as carbon materials, metal oxides and conducting polymers have been widely used as electrode materials for energy storage devices, and great achievements have been made. Recently, metal nitrides have attracted increasing interest as remarkable electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors due to their outstanding electrochemical properties, high chemical stability, standard technological approach and extensive fundamental importance. This review analyzes the development and progress of metal nitrides as suitable electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors. The challenges and prospects of metal nitrides as energy storage electrode materials are also discussed.