Emerging frontiers in aluminum–air batteries: Advances, challenges, and prospects for lightweight, high-energy-density storage

Aluminum–air batteries (AABs) have gained increasing attention as a promising energy storage technology due to their high theoretical energy density, cost-effectiveness, and environmental sustainability. With growing demands in electric mobility, portable electronics, and grid applications, AABs offer significant potential as an alternative to conventional lithium-based systems. However, challenges such as aluminum anode corrosion, sluggish oxygen reduction kinetics, and electrolyte instability continue to hinder commercial viability. While previous reviews have addressed specific aspects of AABs, a comprehensive and integrated perspective remains lacking. In addition to summarizing recent scientific advances, this review incorporates a dedicated analysis of industrialization barriers, including techno-economic cost structure, technology readiness level disparities across AAB components, manufacturing and scale-up challenges, and the current limitations of recycling and sustainability pathways. A competitive comparison with lithium-ion batteries is also presented to contextualize deployment feasibility. By consolidating progress in anode design, electrolyte development, air-cathode engineering, and system architecture alongside economic and technological feasibility considerations, this review provides a strategic framework to guide future research and accelerate the development and deployment of next-generation aluminum–air batteries.