Scaling‐Up Insights for Zinc–Air Battery Technologies Realizing Reversible Zinc Anodes

Abstract

AbstractZinc–air battery (ZAB) technology is considered one of the promising candidates to complement the existing lithium‐ion batteries for future large‐scale high‐energy‐storage demands. The scientific literature reveals many efforts for the ZAB chemistries, materials design, and limited accounts for cell design principles with apparently superior performances for liquid and solid‐state electrolytes. However, along with the difficulty of forming robust solid‐electrolyte interphases, the discrepancy in testing methods and assessment metrics severely challenges the realistic evaluation/comparison and commercialization of ZABs. Here, strategies to formulate reversible zinc anodes are proposed and specific cell‐level energy metrics (100−500 Wh kg−1) and realistic long‐cycling operations are realized. Stabilizing anode/electrolyte interfaces results in a cumulative capacity of 25 Ah cm−2 and Coulomb efficiency of >99.9% for 5000 plating/stripping cycles. Using 1–10 Ah scale (≈500 Wh kg−1 at cell level) solid‐state zinc–air pouch cells, scale‐up insights for Ah‐level ZABs that can progress from lab‐scale research to practical production are also offered.