Liquid phase catalytic metal-air battery

Abstract

This invention belongs to the field of electrochemical energy storage technology, and particularly relates to a liquid-phase catalytic metal-air battery. The invention includes a metal negative electrode, an electrolyte solution, a positive electrode current collector, and a liquid-phase catalyst. The liquid-phase catalyst is a redox couple dispersible in the electrolyte solution, including at least one of an oxidized state and a reduced state, and its electrode potential lies between the oxidation potential of the metal negative electrode and the oxygen reduction potential. The liquid-phase catalyst transforms from a reduced state to an oxidized state upon contact with oxygen-containing gas, and from an oxidized state to a reduced state upon contact with the positive electrode current collector during discharge; these are the oxygen reduction and discharge processes, respectively. Only gas-liquid and solid-liquid contact is required during these processes, providing ample reaction sites. Furthermore, the oxygen reduction and discharge processes are decoupled and can be controlled independently; increasing the gas-liquid contact area is sufficient to improve the oxygen reduction rate. The liquid-phase catalyst is easy to prepare and replace, has good catalytic effect, and places low demands on battery components, effectively reducing battery costs and improving battery controllability and discharge performance.

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