ABSTRACT
Nowadays, energy shortage and environmental pollution are regarded as two major dilemmas of social and economic development, which have stimulated unprecedented attention in the development of new energy storage devices, such as supercapacitors, rechargeable batteries, and fuel cells. In addition to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) dominating the current market, Zn–air batteries (ZABs) are considered a safer, economical, and environmentally friendly option, and they possess a higher theoretical energy density than LIBs. Meanwhile, materials derived from biowaste are highly suitable for coordinating the sustainable development of nature, economy, and society, owing to their promising characteristics of low cost, renewability, biodegradability, and environmental benefits. In this chapter, we first provide a fundamental understanding of the working principles of ZABs and the mechanisms of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Then, we summarize representative biowaste-derived ecological components for ZABs, including bifunctional electrocatalysts, aqueous binders, and electrolytes. Finally, profound insights into major challenges and clear directions for future development are discussed.
