A brief history of zinc-air batteries: 140 years of epic adventures

Aqueous zinc-air batteries constitute cutting-edge technology toward the next-generation sustainable energy storage. A retrospective of its general history can help to understand the battery evolution adventures and guide future development directions. This manuscript provides a retrospect of the history of zinc-air batteries over 140 years with the exciting achievements and tortuous courses. Four historical stages are presented regarding the birth, the arising, the stagnancy, and the revival of zinc-air batteries propelled by both purposive research and historical opportunities. The fundamental understanding, technological developments, epoch-making practices, and far-reaching influence of zinc-air batteries are discussed in detail during each historical stage. An outlook of zinc-air batteries is further proposed to provide instructive guidance for both fundamental explorations and practical applications. This retrospect is expected to inspire the development of modern zinc-air batteries and other related electrochemical energy-storage systems.