Ferroelectric materials in rechargeable batteries

Abstract

The pursuit of high-specific-energy rechargeable batteries is increasingly hindered by persistent electrode polarization, interfacial instability, and parasitic side reactions that conventional material designs struggle to address across diverse battery chemistries (such as lithium batteries and non-lithium batteries). These challenges call for materials capable of actively regulating electrochemical environments under realistic operating conditions. Ferroelectric materials, characterized by switchable spontaneous polarization, intrinsic dipolar asymmetry, and strong multi-field coupling, represent a fundamentally distinct class of functional materials for battery systems. Rather than relying solely on static chemical composition or structural reinforcement, ferroelectrics introduce dynamically build-in electric fields that reshape ion transport behavior, redistribute interfacial charge, and modify reaction energetics throughout the battery architecture. In this review, we first outline the historical development and fundamental physical principles of ferroelectric materials, establishing the theoretical basis for their functionality in electrochemical systems. We then examine how polarization-driven effects manifest differently when ferroelectrics are integrated into a variety of battery components. Within electrodes, polarization can influence ion flux and alleviate concentration gradients; at reactive metal/electrolyte interfaces, dipole-induced charge redistribution helps stabilize interfacial chemistry; and within solid or quasi-solid electrolytes, polarization-modified space-charge structures can alter transport kinetics and interfacial resistance. From the cross-system and cross-component perspectives, we summarize chemistry-specific and architecture-aware design principles for ferroelectric materials in practical battery environments. Finally, we identify key mechanistic bottlenecks and future research directions, outlining pathways toward the rational deployment of ferroelectric-enabled strategies for safe, durable, and high-energy-density rechargeable batteries.