Open Access

Review of the Application of Tellurium and Tellurides in Sodium Metal Batteries

Shan Yuan^1,2, Fei Wang^2,*, Jinping Zhang^2,*, Yuxin Jiang², Kaibo Gu², Chenhao Qiao², Yutong Bai², Jie Yu², Quan Chen¹, Dedi Han³

1 School of Materials Science and Engineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
2 Faculty of Engineering, Huanghe Science and Technology College, Zhengzhou, China
3 Henan Zhongfu Industrial Co., Ltd., Gongyi, China

* Corresponding Authors: Fei Wang. Email: ; Jinping Zhang. Email:

Chalcogenide Letters 2026, 23(4), 4 https://doi.org/10.32604/cl.2026.082805

Received 23 March 2026; Accepted 20 April 2026; Issue published 09 May 2026

Abstract

Sodium metal batteries stand as a highly promising electrochemical energy storage system; however, their commercialization is severely impeded by challenges such as anode dendrite formation, the shuttle effect of highly reactive intermediates at the cathode, electrode volume expansion, and interfacial instability. Owing to their high electronic conductivity, high theoretical specific capacity, and superior sodiumphilic affinity, tellurium and its tellurides have emerged as pivotal functional materials for enhancing the performance of sodium metal batteries. This study reviews the advancements in their applications within sodium metal batteries, elaborates rational design strategies carbon-based composites, alloying, and heterostructure construction for cathode functional materials, analyzes their mechanisms in optimizing sodium ion migration kinetics and synergistically regulating the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer at the anode interface, and summarizes full-cell performance optimization strategies such as eutectic acceleration, defect engineering, and multicomponent synergy regulation. Additionally, it critically analyzed such as the scarcity of tellurium resources, inadequate long-term cycling stability of materials, and ambiguous reaction mechanisms. Furthermore, it outlines future research directions in terms of resource utilization, mechanism investigation, structural design, and process optimization, providing significant guidance for research and development in this field.

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Keywords

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