Recent Progress on the Development of Metal‐Air Batteries

Abstract The large‐scale electrical energy storage using rechargeable batteries buoys any future success in the global efforts to shift energy usage away from fossil fuels to renewable sources. Compared with other battery technologies, such as Li‐S and LIBs, the metal‐air battery technology holds exceptionally high energy densities and is viewed to be a promising candidate as the energy supplier of the next generation. With the aim to provide easy access to the recent developments of metal‐air batteries and advance their development, this review systematically and comprehensively summarizes, compares and discusses the development of all important kinds of aqueous and/or nonaqueous metal‐air batteries (all in one), based on metal anodes of Li, Na, Zn, Al, from all important aspects, including oxygen electrochemistry, electrocatalyst, transfer/diffusion and interface, electrode and electrolyte materials, and device configuration. As a benefit, our understanding on metal‐air batteries can be deepened and guidance for the development of next generation metal‐air batteries can be provided.