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Guo et al. Microstructures 2023;3:2023038 Microstructures
DOI: 10.20517/microstructures.2023.30

Review Open Access

The concept, structure, and progress of seawater

metal-air batteries

1,2
1
2
1
Yuanyuan Guo , Yanhui Cao , Junda Lu , Xuerong Zheng , Yida Deng 1,2
1
State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in the South China Sea, School of Materials Science and Engineering,
Hainan University, Haikou 570228, Hainan, China.
2
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Advanced Ceramics and Machining Technology of Ministry of
Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
Correspondence to: Prof. Xuerong Zheng, State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, School of
Materials Science and Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, Hainan, China. E-mail: xrzh@hainanu.edu.cn; Prof. Yida
Deng, State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in the South China Sea, School of Materials Science and Engineering,
Hainan University, Haikou 570228, Hainan, China. E-mail: yd_deng@hainanu.edu.cn
How to cite this article: Guo Y, Cao Y, Lu J, Zheng X, Deng Y. The concept, structure, and progress of seawater metal-air
batteries. Microstructures 2023;3:2023038. https://dx.doi.org/10.20517/microstructures.2023.30
Received: 5 Jun 2023 First Decision: 29 Jun 2023 Revised: 16 Jul 2023 Accepted: 31 Jul 2023 Published: 10 Oct 2023

Academic Editor: Zaiping Guo Copy Editor: Fangyuan Liu Production Editor: Fangyuan Liu

Abstract
Seawater metal-air batteries (SMABs) are promising energy storage technologies for their advantages of high
energy density, intrinsic safety, and low cost. However, the presence of such chloride ions complex components in
seawater inevitably has complex effects on the air electrode process, including oxygen reduction and oxygen
evolution reactions (ORR and OER), which requires the development of highly-active chloride-resistant
electrocatalysts. In this review, we first summarized the developing status of various types of SMABs, explaining
their working principle and comparing the battery performance. Then, the reported chlorine-resistant
electrocatalysts were classified. The composition and structural design strategies of high-efficient chlorine-
resistant ORR/OER electrocatalysts in seawater electrolytes were comprehensively summarized. Finally, the main
challenges to be overcome in the commercialization of SMABs were discussed.

Keywords: Seawater metal-air batteries, oxygen reduction reactions, oxygen evolution reactions, chloride-resistant

INTRODUCTION
Renewable energy resources, such as wind energy, solar energy, and wave energy, exist extensively,

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