Regulating solvation and interface chemistry enables advanced aluminum-air batteries

The main challenge for developing aqueous aluminum-air batteries with high mass-specific capacity depends on the inhibition of the parasitic hydrogen evolution reaction. Herein, a regulation strategy of solvation and interface chemistry has been proposed by introducing organic methylurea (MU) and inorganic stannous chloride (SnCl₂) to the alkaline electrolyte, which can modulate the solvent structure and electrode/electrolyte interface and endow the aqueous aluminum-air battery with an outstanding mass-specific capacity of 2625 mA h g^-1 at 50 mA cm^-2.