3D Materials as Electrocatalysts for Metal-Air Batteries

Developing technology, the rapid increase in the use of electric vehicles and mobile electronic devices, depletion of fossil fuels, and future energy requirements make the development of renewable energy-storage systems important. Metal-air batteries are the best potential prospects to be the next-generation energy storage systems because of their higher energy capacities, cost-effectiveness, and environmentally friendly natures. Most importantly, they do not need internal fuel tanks as they use oxygen from the air as the cathodic fuel. However, several technical difficulties hinder the broad commercialization of metal-air batteries, including the slow kinetics of the oxygen reduction and evolution reactions, the discharge/charge performances of batteries, and rechargeability. The relatively large overpotentials leading to poor energy efficiency associated with these reactions make it important to research and develop active, stable, and cheap electrocatalysts that can improve reaction kinetics. In this chapter, the mechanism of metal-air batteries is briefly explained and the efficiencies and potentials of 3D electrocatalyst are investigated.