在Form Energy取得鐵-空氣電池關鍵性突破之前，鐵-空氣電池相較于火熱的固態電池、鈉離子電(dian)(dian)池更(geng)不為人所知，本(ben)質上鐵-空氣電(dian)(dian)池仍然屬于(yu)金屬-空氣電(dian)(dian)池的分支。

金屬空氣電(dian)(dian)(dian)池是(shi)以金屬為燃(ran)料，與空氣中的氧氣發生(sheng)氧化(hua)(hua)還(huan)原(yuan)反應“產生(sheng)電(dian)(dian)(dian)能的一(yi)種特殊燃(ran)料電(dian)(dian)(dian)池。金屬空氣電(dian)(dian)(dian)池與常見的化(hua)(hua)學(xue)電(dian)(dian)(dian)池一(yi)樣，也是(shi)由(you)正(zheng)極(ji)、負極(ji)、電(dian)(dian)(dian)解液三大部分構(gou)成，其中正(zheng)極(ji)板由(you)金屬導電(dian)(dian)(dian)網、防水層、催化(hua)(hua)層壓制而成，正(zheng)極(ji)以空氣中的氧氣作為活性物質(zhi)，在放電(dian)(dian)(dian)過程(cheng)中，氧氣在三相界面上被電(dian)(dian)(dian)化(hua)(hua)學(xue)催化(hua)(hua)還(huan)原(yuan)為氫氧根離(li)子(zi)。

金(jin)屬空氣(qi)(qi)電(dian)池(chi)的負極(ji)為金(jin)屬，主要以電(dian)極(ji)電(dian)位較負的金(jin)屬如鎂、鋁、鋅(xin)、汞、鐵等作負極(ji)材料(liao)；電(dian)解液(ye)有固定使(shi)用與(yu)循環使(shi)用兩種(zhong)方式，目前根據(ju)使(shi)用要求主要有KOH、NaOH、NaCI及海水。金(jin)屬空氣(qi)(qi)電(dian)池(chi)最突出的優點(dian)即(ji)其可以將高(gao)能量(liang)密度的金(jin)屬負極(ji)與(yu)具(ju)備開(kai)放結構的活性空氣(qi)(qi)正極(ji)材料(liao)相結合(he)，節約成本(ben)，提高(gao)比能量(liang)密度。

制作金(jin)屬空(kong)(kong)氣(qi)(qi)(qi)電(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)，可選用的原(yuan)材料(liao)比較豐富。目前已經取得研(yan)究進展的金(jin)屬空(kong)(kong)氣(qi)(qi)(qi)電(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)主要有鋁空(kong)(kong)氣(qi)(qi)(qi)電(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)、鎂空(kong)(kong)氣(qi)(qi)(qi)電(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)、鋅空(kong)(kong)氣(qi)(qi)(qi)電(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)、鋰空(kong)(kong)氣(qi)(qi)(qi)電(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)等，其中鋅-空(kong)(kong)氣(qi)(qi)(qi)、鋁-空(kong)(kong)氣(qi)(qi)(qi)電(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)的應(ying)用范圍最為廣泛。

例如(ru)日(ri)本三洋公(gong)司已制出大(da)容量的(de)(de)(de)(de)二次鋅(xin)-空氣(qi)電(dian)(dian)池，采用(yong)空氣(qi)和電(dian)(dian)液受力循環的(de)(de)(de)(de)辦法，研制出電(dian)(dian)壓為(wei)(wei)125V容量為(wei)(wei)560A穐的(de)(de)(de)(de)牽(qian)引(yin)車(che)用(yong)的(de)(de)(de)(de)鋅(xin)-空氣(qi)電(dian)(dian)池。再比如(ru)美(mei)(mei)國加(jia)(jia)利福尼亞(ya)州在(zai)使用(yong)鋁(lv)-空氣(qi)電(dian)(dian)池的(de)(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)動汽(qi)車(che)上(shang)，有過只更換一次鋁(lv)電(dian)(dian)極行駛(shi)里程便達1600km，美(mei)(mei)鋁(lv)加(jia)(jia)拿大(da)公(gong)司和以色(se)列公(gong)司Phinergy新展示的(de)(de)(de)(de)100公(gong)斤重(zhong)的(de)(de)(de)(de)鋁(lv)-空氣(qi)電(dian)(dian)池也能(neng)儲存行駛(shi)3000公(gong)里的(de)(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)量?

除了比(bi)能量高(gao)外，金屬(shu)空(kong)(kong)氣(qi)(qi)電池(chi)還有(you)一個優勢——壽命長，一般的(de)(de)金屬(shu)空(kong)(kong)氣(qi)(qi)電池(chi)的(de)(de)可循(xun)環次(ci)(ci)數高(gao)達10000次(ci)(ci)，而(er)當前主(zhu)流的(de)(de)鋰電池(chi)充放(fang)電可循(xun)環次(ci)(ci)數僅在3000左右，不過由于金屬(shu)空(kong)(kong)氣(qi)(qi)電池(chi)正極(ji)需(xu)要空(kong)(kong)氣(qi)(qi)作為活(huo)性物質，故(gu)極(ji)易造(zao)成電解液的(de)(de)干涸從而(er)影(ying)響實際使用壽命，但鐵-空(kong)(kong)氣(qi)(qi)電池(chi)突破了這一束(shu)縛(fu)。