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Rechargeable zinc-air battery used for energy storage has a serious problem of charging capacity limited by oxygen bubble coalescence. Fast removal of oxygen bubbles adhered to the charging electrode surface is of great importance for improving the charging performance of the battery. Here we show that the law of oxygen bubble growth can be achieved by means of phase-field simulation, revealing two phenomena of bubble detachment and bubble coalescence located in the charging electrode on both sides. Hydrodynamic electrolyte and partial insulation structure of the charging electrode are investigated to solve the problem of oxygen bubble coalescence during charging. Two types of rechargeable zinc-air battery are developed on the basis of different tri-electrode configurations, demonstrating that the charging performance of the battery with electrolyte flow (Ⅰ) is better than that of the battery with the partially insulated electrode (Ⅱ), while the battery Ⅱ is superior to the battery Ⅰ in the discharging performance, cost and portability. The proposed solutions and results would be available for promoting commercial application of rechargeable zinc-air batteries or other metal-air batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphology control is crucial both for zinc–air batteries and for zinc–air fuel cells during zinc regeneration. Zinc dendrite should be avoided in zinc–air batteries and zinc pellets are yearned to be formed for zinc–air fuel cells. This paper is mainly to analyze the mechanism of shape change and to control the zinc morphology during charge. A numerical three-dimensional model for zinc regeneration is established with COMSOL software on the basis of ionic transport theory and electrode reaction electrochemistry, and some experiments of zinc regeneration are carried out. The deposition process is qualitatively analyzed by the kinetics Monte Carlo method to study the morphological change from the electrocrystallization point of view. Morphological evolution of deposited zinc under different conditions of direct currents and pulse currents is also investigated by simulation. The simulation shows that parametric variables of the flowing electrolyte, the surface roughness and the structure of the electrode, the charging current and mode affect morphological evolution. The uniform morphology of deposited zinc is attained at low current, pulsating current or hydrodynamic electrolyte, and granular morphology is obtained by means of an electrode of discrete columnar structure in combination with high current and flowing electrolyte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Outlined technological solutions for zinc–air battery’s cyclelife. [•] Summarized the latest development of zinc–air battery. [•] Analyzed failure of zinc electrode, air electrode. [•] Concluded materials, structure, and physicochemical characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past several years, many efforts have been made to develop polyanion-type cathode materials for sodium ion batteries by chemists and material scientists. These materials are one of the main types of promising cathodes though the studies are still in their infancy. This paper reviews almost all the important advances of polyanion-type cathodes on their syntheses, crystal structures, morphologies, electrochemical performance and Na redox mechanisms. It specifically focuses on their crystal chemistry and electrochemical behaviors. The contents are divided into several categories according to their chemical compositions. After introduction of the synthetic methods, phosphates (ortho-, pyro- and fluoro-), silicates, sulfates, and mixed anions type cathodes are summarized and discussed successively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]