Energy Storage Science and Technology ›› 2017, Vol. 6 ›› Issue (5): 924-940.doi: 10.12028/j.issn.2095-4239.2017.0073

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A review of air electrodes for zinc air batteries

XU Ke, WANG Baoguo   

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
  • Received:2017-05-24 Revised:2017-07-20 Online:2017-09-01 Published:2017-09-01

Abstract: Owing to the advantages of high energy density and safe aqueous electrolyte, zinc air batteries become an important research direction in developing green energy, which shows great potential in electric vehicles, portable power supply and large electricity storage systems. However, some issues related to electrocatalysts and electrode structure of the air electrode have seriously restricted the commercialization of zinc air batteries. This paper reviews the possible approaches for developing effective air electrode, including electrocatalyst and electrode configuration, and summarizes present status. Moreover, the development of bifunctional electrocatalysts with high activity, good stability and reasonable cost, air electrode design and manufacturing technology, three electrode configuration suitable for mass production in zinc air batteries are the important direction for novel battery technology in the future.

Key words: zinc air battery, air electrode, gas diffusion structure, electrocatalyst