Rechargeable Hydrogen Gas Batteries: Fundamentals, Principles, Materials, and Applications

Abstract

The growing demand for renewable energy sources has accelerated a boom in research on new battery chemistries. Despite decades of development for various battery types, including lithium-ion batteries, their suitability for grid-scale energy storage applications remains imperfect. In recent years, rechargeable hydrogen gas batteries (HGBs), utilizing hydrogen catalytic electrode as anode, have attracted extensive academic and industrial attention. HGBs, facilitated by appropriate catalysts, demonstrate notable attributes such as high power density, high capacity, excellent low-temperature performance, and ultralong cycle life. This review presents a comprehensive overview of four key aspects pertaining to HGBs: fundamentals, principles, materials, and applications. First, detailed insights are provided into hydrogen electrodes, encompassing electrochemical principles, hydrogen catalytic mechanisms, advancements in hydrogen catalytic materials, and structural considerations in hydrogen electrode design. Second, an examination and future prospects of cathode material compatibility, encompassing both current and potential materials, are summarized. Third, other components and engineering considerations of HGBs are elaborated, including cell stack design and pressure vessel design. Finally, a techno-economic analysis and outlook offers an overview of the current status and future prospects of HGBs, indicating their orientation for further research and application advancements.