Metal–Air Batteries: From Static to Flow System

Abstract

As an emerging battery technology, metal–air flow batteries inherit the advantageous features of the unique structural design of conventional redox flow batteries and the high energy density of metal–air batteries, thus showing great potential as efficient electrochemical systems for large‐scale electrical energy storage. This review summarizes the operating principles and recent progress of metal–air flow batteries from a materials and chemistry perspective, with particular emphasis on the latest advanced materials design and cell configuration engineering, which the authors divide into three categories based on the anode species: vanadium–air, zinc–air, and lithium–air flow batteries. Since some of the capabilities developed for metal–air static batteries can be leveraged for next‐generation flow systems, classical works on conventional metal–air batteries are selected and compared with the metal–air flow systems, highlighting the prominent advantages of the latter in achieving high energy capacity and long cycle performance. At the end, a general perspective on current challenges/opportunities and future research directions to promote the commercial application of the metal–air flow battery technology is provided. The aim is to provide a comprehensive overview and to set up a road map for guiding development from conventional static to advanced flow technologies of metal–air batteries.