2025 MRS Fall Meeting & Exhibit

Symposium EN06-Unlocking the Promise of Metal-Air Batteries

Metal-air batteries are high-energy density electrochemical energy storage systems that show significant promise for a wide range of applications. By replacing the traditional conversion or intercalation positive electrode with an oxygen-reacting catalyst, Li-air batteries can theoretically achieve energy densities comparable to gasoline. Additionally, systems like Zn and Fe-based air batteries offer energy densities several orders of magnitude higher than traditional Li-ion cells. This makes them ideal candidates for long-duration energy storage systems, with companies such as Form Energy and e-Zinc already commercializing their own versions of these batteries for storage periods of 100 hours or longer. These batteries meet the requirements of this new energy storage need due to their low materials cost, high capacity, and relatively high potentials. Other potential applications for metal-air systems include aviation, naval/marine use, medium-duration energy storage for the grid, and consumer electronics.

Primary metal-air batteries like Zn-air systems have been successfully used in hearing aids for decades. However, making secondary systems viable has proven challenging. The main limiting factors for full cell systems are low round-trip efficiencies, low cycle life, and expensive catalyst materials. Each of these issues presents materials challenges that need to be addressed. For example, in all metal-air systems, there is a need for an efficient and low-cost catalyst that can facilitate oxygen evolution and reduction reactions.

This symposium will solicit abstracts on focusing on materials components of any metal-air battery system currently being researched. Including on discovery or clarification of fundamental materials properties, materials modeling, materials development, and half/full cell testing of any component in a metal-air battery. Other topics include materials stability, interfacial operation, ion exchange separators, electrolyte and electrolyte additives, and electrode structure.

Topics will include:

New materials for metal air batteries (including Li, Al, Zn, Mg and Fe among others)
Active metal passivation, deposition, and shape change
OER and ORR Catalyst materials
Air electrode construction and operation
Electrode/electrolyte interfaces
Membrane and separators for metal-air batteries
Simulations and models of materials performance
Additives and surface coatings for electrode or electrolyte

Invited Speakers:

Mohammand Asadi (Illinois Institute of Technology, USA)
Larry Curtis (Argonne National Laboratory, USA)
Joshua Galloway (Northeastern University, USA)
Colt Griffith (The University of Tennessee, USA)
Amy Marschilok (Stony Brook University, The State University of New York, USA)
Barbara Mercheri (Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata, Italy)
Kenji Miyatake (Waseda University, Japan)
Kenneth Ozoemena (University of Witwatersrand, South Africa)
Debra Rolison (U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, USA)
Amin Salehi-khojin (University of Illinois at Chicago, USA)
Yang Shao-horn (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA)
Schon Tyler (e-Zinc LLC, Canada)
Yinyin Wu (The Ohio State University, USA)
Brian Wygnatt (Sandia National Laboratories, USA)