Recent Advances toward the Rational Design of Efficient Bifunctional Air Electrodes for Rechargeable Zn–Air Batteries

Abstract

Large-scale application of renewable energy and rapid development of electric vehicles have brought unprecedented demand for advanced energy-storage/conversion technologies and equipment. Rechargeable zinc (Zn)-air batteries represent one of the most promising candidates because of their high energy density, safety, environmental friendliness, and low cost. The air electrode plays a key role in managing the many complex physical and chemical processes occurring on it to achieve high performance of Zn-air batteries. Herein, recent advances of air electrodes from bifunctional catalysts to architectures are summarized, and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed to underline the importance of progress in the evolution of bifunctional air electrodes. Finally, some challenges and the direction of future research are provided for the optimized design of bifunctional air electrodes to achieve high performance of rechargeable Zn-air batteries.

Recent Advances in Metal‐Organic Framework Derivatives as Oxygen Catalysts for Zinc‐Air Batteries

“…Benefiting from the mature practical applications, further development of novel primary and rechargeable Zn‐air batteries with better energy output by lowering the discharge/charge overpotentials is more feasible compared to other metal‐air battery systems . Although the reaction between Zn and O 2 are thermodynamically spontaneous, the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at the cathode has sluggish kinetics during the battery discharge, which requires the participation of catalysts to accelerate this process . On the other hand, efficient catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are essential for achieving reasonable charging potential of rechargeable Zn–air batteries ,.…”

“…Some previous reviews have well summarized recent development on various types of mono‐and bi‐functional oxygen catalysts, liquid‐ and solid‐state electrolytes, and novel flexible battery configurations for primary and rechargeable Zn–air batteries ,,,,. Some other reviews have mentioned the use of MOF‐derived catalysts for Zn–air batteries ,,,,,,. Up to now, a review that systematically summarizes the exciting progress of MOF‐derived material as oxygen catalysts for Zn–air batteries is still in great demand.…”

Recent progress in graphene‐based electrodes for flexible batteries

“…Flexible Zn‐air batteries are more appealing compared to flexible lithium‐air batteries due to their merits of abundant resource and environmental friendliness . Similar to cathodes of lithium‐air batteries, cathodes of zinc‐air batteries should possess excellent flexibility, air permeability, high electrical conductivity, and outstanding ORR/OER electrocatalytic activity.…”

Directly Electrospun Carbon Nanofibers Incorporated with Mn3O4 Nanoparticles as Bending-Resistant Cathode for Flexible Al-Air Batteries

“…To address this problem, electrospinning has been explored as a novel method to prepare flexible cathodes [14][15][16][17][18]. Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) could be prepared through electrospinning followed by heat treatment.…”

“…Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) could be prepared through electrospinning followed by heat treatment. Catalysts are added on the surface of CNFs by physical adsorption or chemical growth [13,14,[18][19][20]. Zhang et al [6] presented a brief introduction to the recent development of flexible air cathodes for metal-air batteries.…”