Recent Progress of Metal–Air Batteries—A Mini Review
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applied sciences Review Recent Progress of Metal–Air Batteries—A Mini Review Chunlian Wang 1, Yongchao Yu 2, Jiajia Niu 3, Yaxuan Liu 2, Denzel Bridges 2, Xianqiang Liu 3, Joshi Pooran 4, Yuefei Zhang 3 and Anming Hu 1,2,* 1 Institute of Laser Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China 2 Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA 3 Institute of Microstructure and Properties of Advanced Materials, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China 4 Oak Ridge National Lab, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 3 June 2019; Accepted: 6 July 2019; Published: 11 July 2019 Featured Application: This paper can provide the basic knowledge on metal-air batteries for beginners and relevant comprehensive review for researchers. Abstract: With the ever-increasing demand for power sources of high energy density and stability for emergent electrical vehicles and portable electronic devices, rechargeable batteries (such as lithium-ion batteries, fuel batteries, and metal–air batteries) have attracted extensive interests. Among the emerging battery technologies, metal–air batteries (MABs) are under intense research and development focus due to their high theoretical energy density and high level of safety. Although significant progress has been achieved in improving battery performance in the past decade, there are still numerous technical challenges to overcome for commercialization. Herein, this mini-review summarizes major issues vital to MABs, including progress on packaging and crucial manufacturing technologies for cathode, anode, and electrolyte. Future trends and prospects of advanced MABs by additive manufacturing and nanoengineering are also discussed. Keywords: metal–air batteries; laser processing; 3D printing 1. Introduction 1.1. Market Demand and Technical Tendencies With the continued growth of the global economy, the demand for energy has significantly increased. Unfortunately, Earth’s conventional non-renewable energy resources, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, are limited. Hence, the development of new energy devices is important for a sustainable society. Innovative biofuel batteries, supercapacitors, and metal–air batteries are among the most suitable candidates to meet the energy storage demand [1–6]. Among the various power storage devices currently on the market, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have the best performance. However, 1 it is still a challenge to achieve high capacity (>200 mA h g− ) in LIBs and to meet safe energy storage requirements for electric vehicles [7,8]. Recently, MABs attracted significant attention as they can operate in an open-air atmosphere. MABs consist of metal anodes and an air cathode. The MAB cathode uses oxygen from ambient air, which leads to significant battery weight reduction, which has unprecedented advantages for many applications. Compared to other batteries, especially Lithium-ion batteries, which currently dominate the market share, MABs are cheap, because the cathode source (oxygen from air) is abundant and the anode can be made using low-cost metals, such as, Al, Zn, Fe. Figure1 shows the application of MABs as the energy storage system for various technologies. MABs Appl. Sci. 2019, 9, 2787; doi:10.3390/app9142787 www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci Appl.Appl. Sci.Sci. 20192019,, 99,, 2787x FOR PEER REVIEW 22 ofof 2222 technologies. MABs are attractive not only as compact power sources for portable electronics and areelectric attractive vehicles not onlybut also as compact as compelling power sourcesenergy fortransfer portable stations electronics or energy and electricstorage vehiclesdevices butto manage also as compellingenergy flow energy among transfer renewable stations energy or energy generators, storage su devicesch as towind manage turbines energy and flow photovoltaic among renewable panels, energyelectric generators, grids and end-users. such as wind turbines and photovoltaic panels, electric grids and end-users. FigureFigure 1.1. ApplicationsApplications ofof metal–airmetal–air batteriesbatteries asas energyenergy sourcesource andand storagestorage systems.systems. TheoreticalTheoretical energyenergy densitydensity isis anan importantimportant factorfactor inin evaluatingevaluating thethe performanceperformance ofof variousvarious batterybattery configurations.configurations. Figure2 2 shows shows theoreticaltheoretical energyenergy density,density, specific specific energy, energy, and and nominal nominal cell cell voltagevoltage ofof didifferentfferent metal-air metal-air batteries batteries (MABs) (MABs) [ [9].9]. AsAs oxygen,oxygen, directlydirectly suppliedsupplied fromfrom thethe surroundingsurrounding environment,environment, isis involvedinvolved inin thethe cathodecathode asas anan oxidantoxidant duringduring thethe dischargedischarge period,period, MABsMABs showshow considerablyconsiderably higherhigher energyenergy density.density. Although,Although, theoretically,theoretically, lithium–airlithium–air batteriesbatteries (LABs)(LABs) oofferffer thethe 1 bestbest combinationcombination ofof thethe highesthighest theoreticaltheoretical energyenergy densitydensity (5928(5928 WhWhkg kg−−1)) andand highhigh cellcell potentialpotential (nominally(nominally 2.962.96 V),V), iron–airiron–air batteriesbatteries (FABs)(FABs) possesspossess thethe smallestsmallest theoreticaltheoretical energyenergy densitydensity andand cellcell voltagevoltage (nominally(nominally 1.281.28 V).V). Al-,Al-, Zn-,Zn-, andand Fe–airFe–air batteriesbatteries areare alsoalso thethe researchresearch hotspotshotspots becausebecause ofof economiceconomic andand safetysafety considerations.considerations. InIn thethe presentpresent paper,paper, aluminum–airaluminum–air batteriesbatteries (AABs),(AABs), zinc–airzinc–air batteriesbatteries (ZABs),(ZABs), iron–airiron–air batteriesbatteries (FABs),(FABs), andand lithium–airlithium–air batteriesbatteries (LABs)(LABs) havehave beenbeen reviewedreviewed withwith aa focusfocus onon workingworking principleprinciple andand devicedevice configuration,configuration, andand performanceperformance progress.progress. InIn addition,addition, majormajor technologytechnology barriersbarriers havehave beenbeen identified,identified, and and possible possible solutions solution discussed.s discussed. Emerging Emerging advanced advanced manufacturing manufacturing methods, methods, such such as 3D as printing3D printing and laserand laser processing processing techniques, techniques, for the for development the development a high-performance a high-performance rechargeable rechargeable MABs, haveMABs, also have been also discussed. been discussed. 1.2. Working Principles 1.2. Working Principles TheThe workingworking principleprinciple ofof MABsMABs didiffersffers fromfrom thatthat ofof traditional traditional ionic ionic batteries. batteries. TheThe traditionaltraditional ionicionic batteriesbatteries involveinvolve thethe transformationtransformation ofof metallicmetallic ionsions fromfrom thethe anodeanode toto thethe cathode.cathode. InIn MABs,MABs, metalsmetals oror alloysalloys transformtransform toto metallicmetallic ionsions atat anodeanode andand oxygenoxygen transformstransforms toto hydroxidehydroxide ionsions atat thethe cathode.cathode. Figure Figure 33 showsshows the operation of of a a MAB MAB in in aqueous aqueous or or non-aqueous non-aqueous electrolyte electrolyte medium. medium. In Inan an aqueous aqueous electrolyte electrolyte system, system, oxygen oxygen diffuses diffuses in intoto batteries batteries through through the the gas didiffusionffusion layerlayer andand transformstransforms intointo receivingreceiving electronselectrons formingforming oxygenoxygen anions.anions. In aa non-aqueousnon-aqueous electrolyteelectrolyte system,system, oxygenoxygen receivesreceives electronselectrons andand transformstransforms intointo oxygenoxygen anion.anion. MetalsMetals releaserelease electrons,electrons, transformtransform toto Appl. Sci. 2019, 9, 2787 3 of 22 Appl.Appl. Sci.Sci. 20192019,, 99,, xx FORFOR PEERPEER REVIEWREVIEW 33 ofof 2222 metallicmetallic ions ions andand dissolvedissolve intointo electrolytes.electrolytes. TheseThese processesprocesses willwill be be reversible reversible during during a a chargingcharging procedureprocedure ofof aa rechargeablerechargeable MAB.MAB.MAB. FigureFigure 2.2. TheoreticalTheoretical specific specificspecific energies, energies, volumetric volumetric energy energy densities, densities, and and nominal nominal battery battery voltages voltages of of variousvarious metal–airmetal–air batteriesbattebatteriesries (MABs)(MABs) [[9].[9].9]. FigureFigure 3.3. SchematicSchematic diagrams diagrams of of MABs MABs working working principles principles for for ( (aa)) non-aqueous non-aqueous electrolyte, electrolyte, and and ( (bb)) aqueousaqueous electrolyte. electrolyte. For MABs, oxygen and metals participate in electrochemical reactions. Specific reaction formulas ForFor MABs,MABs, oxygenoxygen andand metalsmetals participateparticipate inin electrochemicalelectrochemical reactions.reactions. SpecificSpecific reactionreaction formulasformulas areare asas EquationsEquations (1)(1,2): and (2): are as Equations (1,2): n+ Anode: M M + ne− (1) Anode:Anode: MM ⇌⇌ MMn+n+ ++ nene-- (1)(1) Cathode: O2 + 2H2O + 4e− 4OH− (2) 2 2 −− ⇌ -- The reaction kinetics of FABsCathode:Cathode: in the OO alkaline2 ++ 2H2H2OO aqueous ++ 4e4e ⇌ electrolyte4OH4OH are shown in Equations(2)(2) (1) and (6)TheThe [10 reactionreaction].