Energy implications, environmental impact, applications, and challenges of metal air batteries

ABSTRACT

This work highlights the energy implications, environmental impact, applications, and challenges of Metal-Air Batteries (MABs). MABs are classified based on the metal anode that is oxidized in one of its half reactions. The metal anode of choice dictates the energy density of the MAB. It is revealed that MABs bear a significantly higher energy density, compared to all other battery technology alternatives, which can range from 300 Wh/kg for iron-based MABs to 8000 Wh/kg for silicon-based MABs. Additionally, this work discusses the grid-scale potential of MABs and addresses challenges that are manifested in the form of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts’ deposition and cost. Moreover, a collection of literature that presented life cycle analysis (LCA) on MABs is highlighted to show the environmental impact of these batteries across their various lifetime stages. In some cases, it was noted that scaling up MABs can reduce their energy requirements during the production stage from 246.7 MJ/kg to 19.9 MJ/kg by increasing the number of membranes and cathodes produced. Applications including electric vehicles, GPS tracking devices, hearing-aid devices, as well as mobile military devices were presented. Finally, thermodynamic Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR), cost, and infrastructure-related challenges and limitations are discussed to lay the ground for future research and development.

KEYWORDS:

• Batteries
• metal-air batteries
• life cyle analysis
• oxygen reduction reaction catalysts
• mobility devices

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Mohamad Ayoub

Mohamad Ayoub is a Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineer, currently based in Sharjah-UAE. He attained his Master and Bachelor of Science degrees from the University of Sharjah in Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering, where he graduated with highest honours, as first of his class. Mohamad Ayoub currently works as a researcher at the University of Sharjah and has co-authored multiple peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. His research involves third-generation photovoltaics, mechanical energy storage systems, and electrochemical catalysts.

Abdul Hai Alami

Abdul Hai Alami is Currently a Professor at and Chairman of the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering Program at University of Sharjah (2012-present). Professor Alami has received his Ph.D. from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, in 2006. Since then, he has held the positions at the Mechanical Engineering Department at the Hashemite University in Jordan (2006-2010) and Mechanical Engineering Faculty at the Higher Colleges of Technology, Al Ain (2010-2012). The current areas of interest of Prof Alami is the synthesis and analysis of materials used in the third-generation photovoltaic solar cells, as well as novel ways of mechanical energy storage (CAES, CGES, and buoyancy force).