Frontier Research in Electrocatalysts and Electrodes for Zn-Air Battery Technologies

The field of advanced battery research plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of energy storage solutions, with Zn-air batteries receiving significant attention for their high theoretical energy density and application potential in various industries. Despite the remarkable promise of aqueous, solid-state, and flexible Zn-air batteries, there remain numerous scientific challenges associated with optimizing electrode materials, catalysis mechanisms, and device architectures. Recent studies have made strides in designing high-performance electrocatalysts and novel electrode structures, with research demonstrating the crucial effects of bifunctional materials, tailored surface chemistries, and self-supporting architectures on reversible oxygen reactions and overall cell performance. However, persistent challenges—such as insufficient catalytic activity, poor long-term stability, inefficient ion transport, and the scalability of novel designs—underscore the need for deeper investigation.Efforts to bridge these fundamental research advances and practical applications are rapidly expanding, with interdisciplinary collaborations fostering the integration of material science, electrochemistry, and engineering. The latest evidence highlights emerging strategies for enhancing the oxygen reduction/evolution reactions (ORR/OER), improvements in electrode durability, and breakthroughs in in-situ/ex-situ characterizations and theoretical models. Despite these achievements, the quest for versatile, robust, and economically viable materials and electrode systems remains ongoing. There exists a clear gap in understanding how complex interactions at the electrochemical interface influence overall device performance, particularly in flexible and solid-state Zn-air batteries, making further exploration essential.This Research Topic aims to showcase innovations in materials and electrode engineering that address these critical challenges for aqueous, solid-state, and flexible Zn-air batteries. It seeks contributions that deepen our understanding of fundamental electrochemical processes, report breakthroughs in materials and electrodes design, and provide new insights into the operational mechanisms of Zn-air batteries. Authors are encouraged to submit work that connects laboratory-scale developments to scalable applications, driving the translation of research into real-world energy solutions.To gather further insights in the area of advanced materials and electrode systems for Zn-air batteries, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:o Design and synthesis of ORR, OER, and bifunctional electrocatalystso Modification strategies for Zn anodes and electrolyteso Novel preparation and architecture of self-supporting or catalytic electrodeso Design and performance analysis of aqueous, solid-state, and flexible Zn-air batterieso In-situ and ex-situ investigations, as well as theoretical studies on energy conversion and electrocatalytic mechanismso Electrodeposition, corrosion, and engineering advances supporting Zn-air battery developmentNote: We do not seek submissions focused solely on technical electrochemistry, or on photocatalysis, optical materials, or heat management. However, work that advances fundamental or applied electrochemical research in energy storage and environmental sustainability is within scope. Submissions outside these boundaries are advised to consider more specialized venues. Topic editors: Shiliu Yang, Tianran Zhang, Haibo Li Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/77004/frontier-research-in-electrocatalysts-and-electrodes-for-zn-air-battery-technologies