Aluminum-ion batteries(AIBs)are recognized as one of the promising candidates for future energy stor-age devices due to their merits of cost-effectiveness,high voltage,and high-power operation.Many efforts have been devoted to the development of cathode materials,and the progress has been well summarized in this review paper.Moreover,in addition to materials,the intercalation mechanism also plays a key role in determining cell per-formance.Here,the research progress of cathode materials and corresponding ion intercalation mechanism in AIBs are summarized,including intercalation of AlCl4-,intercala-tion of Al3+,and coordination of AlCl2+/AlCl2+.This minireview provides comprehensive guidance on the design of cathode materials for the development of high-performance AIBs.