Air Cathode Design for Light-Assisted Charging of Metal-Air Batteries: Recent Advances and Perspectives

Fayun Wu, Cuie Wang, Kaiming Liao, Zongping Shao

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

18 Scopus citations

Abstract

Metal-air batteries are a type of electrochemical cell that generates electrical energy by combining metal and oxygen from the air. They are a promising technology for energy storage and portable devices because of their high energy density, low cost, and environmental friendliness. However, the discharge products of these batteries are notoriously difficult to decompose, resulting in a high overpotential. Recent works have shown that semiconductors can capture solar energy and store it in batteries. When exposed to light, photocatalysts generate carriers (strong redox pairs), thereby increasing the electron migration rate and significantly reducing the overpotential of the metal-air battery reaction. Nevertheless, single photocatalysts often exhibit poor cycle performance due to serious carrier recombination. This review paper begins by briefly describing the fundamentals of photoelectrochemistry and then focuses on commonly used photocathode design principles and various reported photocatalysts. It also discusses the main challenges and issues caused by light, such as photocorrosion and electrolyte decomposition. Finally, the critical issues associated with photo electrodes, electrolytes, and electrode/electrolyte interfaces are emphasized, and perspectives on the development of high-performance light-assisted metal-air batteries are presented.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)8902-8918
Number of pages17
JournalEnergy and Fuels
Volume37
Issue number13
DOIs
StatePublished - 6 Jul 2023

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Air Cathode Design for Light-Assisted Charging of Metal-Air Batteries: Recent Advances and Perspectives'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this