Rechargeable potassium-ion batteries have been gaining traction as not only promising low-cost alternatives to lithium-ion technology, but also as high-voltage energy storage systems. However, their development and sustainability are plagued by the lack of suitable electrode materials capable of allowing the reversible insertion of the large potassium ions. Here, exploration of the database for potassium-based materials has led us to discover potassium ion conducting layered honeycomb frameworks. They show the capability of reversible insertion of potassium ions at high voltages (~4 V for K2Ni2TeO6) in stable ionic liquids based on potassium bis(trifluorosulfonyl) imide, and exhibit remarkable ionic conductivities e.g. ~0.01 mS cm−1 at 298 K and ~40 mS cm–1 at 573 K for K2Mg2TeO6. In addition to enlisting fast potassium ion conductors that can be utilised as solid electrolytes, these layered honeycomb frameworks deliver the highest voltages amongst layered cathodes, becoming prime candidates for the advancement of high-energy density potassium-ion batteries.

A polymer gel electrolyte using AlCl3 complexed acrylamide as a functional monomer and acidic ionic liquid based on a mixture of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (EMImCl) and AlCl3 (EMImCl-AlCl3, 1-1.5, in molar ratio) as a plasticizer has been successfully prepared for the first time via free radical polymerization. Aluminum deposition is successfully achieved using a polymer gel electrolyte containing 80 wt% ionic liquid. The polymer gel electrolytes are also good candidates for rechargeable aluminum ion batteries.

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A new layered framework K2NiCoTeO6 (K2/3Ni1/3Co1/3Te1/3O2) exhibits high voltage (∼4.3 V vs. K+/K), by far exceeding the performance of hitherto reported layered cathode materials for potassium-ion battery.