Abstract
Against the backdrop of accelerating global progress towards the goal of “carbon neutrality” and addressing increasingly severe environmental challenges, the energy structure is rapidly transitioning toward low-carbon and clean energy sources. Rechargeable Zn-air batteries (R-ZABs) are considered an ideal choice for next-generation energy storage technology due to their high energy density, abundant zinc reserves, and superior safety. However, many problems with R-ZABs, including slow reaction kinetics at the air cathode, dendrite growth at the zinc anode, and the leakage of conventional electrolytes, hinder their practical application. Due to their renewability, inherent porous structure, and self-doping properties of heteroatoms, biomass materials have shown great potential in addressing these multiple challenges. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the design principles for optimizing the key components of R-ZABs using biomass materials is crucial. This review first introduces the basic configurations and reaction mechanisms of R-ZABs. Then, we systematically examine the issues associated with the three core components of the battery and explore cutting-edge optimization strategies utilizing biomass materials based on recently reported work. Finally, some challenges and perspectives, including in-situ mechanism exploration, multi-component collaborative optimization, actual operating condition testing, etc., on future development, are presented. This review aims to provide theoretical insights and technical guidance for the rational design of biomass materials suitable for high-performance rechargeable Zn-air battery systems.