Abstract
Zn–air batteries are becoming the promising power sources for portable and wearable electronic devices and hybrid/electric vehicles because of their high specific energy density and the low cost for next‐generation green and sustainable energy technologies. An air electrode integrated with an oxygen electrocatalyst is the most important component and inevitably determines the performance and cost of a Zn–air battery. This article presents exciting advances and challenges related to air electrodes and their relatives. After a brief introduction of the Zn–air battery, the architectures and oxygen electrocatalysts of air electrodes and relevant electrolytes are highlighted in primary and rechargeable types with different configurations, respectively. Moreover, the individual components and major issues of flexible Zn–air batteries are also highlighted, along with the strategies to enhance the battery performance. Finally, a perspective for design, preparation, and assembly of air electrodes is proposed for the future innovations of Zn–air batteries with high performance.
Highlights
The effective and feasible solution to address the mismatch is to exploit energy and wearable electronic devices and hybrid/electric vehicles because of their storage and conversion technologies, and high specific energy density and the low cost for next-generation green and sustainable energy technologies
We summarize the continuous developments of Zn–air batteries, especially the exciting evolution of air electrodes over the past decades
Considerable progresses have been made in recent years, there are still many problems need to be addressed
Summary
Zn–air battery was initially proposed in 1878, while the silver wire acted as the air electrode.[26]. Zehua Dong is currently a full professor in the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), China He received his Ph.D. in Materials Science from Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) in 2001. Hongfang Liu is currently a full professor in the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), China She earned her Ph.D. in Materials Science from Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) in 2000. Bao Yu Xia is currently a full professor in the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), China He received his Ph.D. degree in Materials Science at Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) in 2010. Extensive researches focusing on Zn–air batteries with outstanding electrochemical performance are growing in the flexible and wearable electronic devices for consumer batteries and rechargeable cells for power sources
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