An electrochemical cell comprising: i. a fuel electrode comprising a metal fuel, ii. a second electrode, iii. an ionically conductive medium communicating the electrodes, the ionically conductive medium comprising an aqueous electrolyte solution comprising a hetero-ionic aromatic additive the fuel electrode and the second electrode being operable in a discharge mode wherein the metal fuel is oxidized at the fuel electrode functioning as an anode, whereby electrons are generated for conduction from the fuel electrode to the second electrode via a load wherein the hetero-ionic aromatic additive has a structure according to: Or where A represents a charge center selected from the group of: quaternary ammonium, cyclic ammonium, polycyclic ammonium, quaternary phosphonium, cyclic phosphonium, polycyclic phosphonium, phosphazine, cyclic phosphazine, polycyclic phosphazine and derivatives thereof; where R represents an organic linkage selected from the group of (C 1 -C 20) linear alkyl, branched alkyl, aryl, alkyl amino, pyridyl, pyrrolyl, imino, pyridinyl pyrazinyl, pyrimidinyl, thienyl, thiazolyl, and derivatives thereof; where R1 represents branched linkage providing a β-carbon atom relative to charge center A without beta protons selected from the group of: branched alkyl, aryl, neopentyl, tert-butyl alcohol, and derivatives thereof; where R2 represents an organic linkage comprising at least two carbon atoms selected from the group of (C1-C20) linear alkyl, branched alkyl, aryl, alkyl amino, pyridyl, pyrrolyl, imino, pyridinyl pyrazinyl, pyrimidinyl, thienyl, thiazolyl, and derivatives thereof; and where B represents an aromatic group selected from the group of benzene, azirine, diazirine, azete, pyrrole, imidazole, pyrazole, triazole, pyridine, pyrazine, diazine, triazine, azepine, diazepine, azocine, phosphole, phosphinine, oxazole, thiophene and derivatives thereof. i. a fuel electrode comprising a metal fuel, ii. a second electrode, iii. an ionically conductive medium communicating the electrodes, the ionically conductive medium comprising an aqueous electrolyte solution comprising a hetero-ionic aromatic additive the fuel electrode and the second electrode being operable in a discharge mode wherein the metal fuel is oxidized at the fuel electrode functioning as an anode, whereby electrons are generated for conduction from the fuel electrode to the second electrode via a load wherein the hetero-ionic aromatic additive has a structure according to: Or where A represents a charge center selected from the group of: quaternary ammonium, cyclic ammonium, polycyclic ammonium, quaternary phosphonium, cyclic phosphonium, polycyclic phosphonium, phosphazine, cyclic phosphazine, polycyclic phosphazine and derivatives thereof; where R represents an organic linkage selected from the group of (C 1 -C 20) linear alkyl, branched alkyl, aryl, alkyl amino, pyridyl, pyrrolyl, imino, pyridinyl pyrazinyl, pyrimidinyl, thienyl, thiazolyl, and derivatives thereof; where R1 represents branched linkage providing a β-carbon atom relative to charge center A without beta protons selected from the group of: branched alkyl, aryl, neopentyl, tert-butyl alcohol, and derivatives thereof; where R2 represents an organic linkage comprising at least two carbon atoms selected from the group of (C1-C20) linear alkyl, branched alkyl, aryl, alkyl amino, pyridyl, pyrrolyl, imino, pyridinyl pyrazinyl, pyrimidinyl, thienyl, thiazolyl, and derivatives thereof; and where B represents an aromatic group selected from the group of benzene, azirine, diazirine, azete, pyrrole, imidazole, pyrazole, triazole, pyridine, pyrazine, diazine, triazine, azepine, diazepine, azocine, phosphole, phosphinine, oxazole, thiophene and derivatives thereof. where A represents a charge center selected from the group of: quaternary ammonium, cyclic ammonium, polycyclic ammonium, quaternary phosphonium, cyclic phosphonium, polycyclic phosphonium, phosphazine, cyclic phosphazine, polycyclic phosphazine and derivatives thereof; where R represents an organic linkage selected from the group of (C 1 -C 20) linear alkyl, branched alkyl, aryl, alkyl amino, pyridyl, pyrrolyl, imino, pyridinyl pyrazinyl, pyrimidinyl, thienyl, thiazolyl, and derivatives thereof; where R1 represents branched linkage providing a β-carbon atom relative to charge center A without beta protons selected from the group of: branched alkyl, aryl, neopentyl, tert-butyl alcohol, and derivatives thereof; where R2 represents an organic linkage comprising at least two carbon atoms selected from the group of (C1-C20) linear alkyl, branched alkyl, aryl, alkyl amino, pyridyl, pyrrolyl, imino, pyridinyl pyrazinyl, pyrimidinyl, thienyl, thiazolyl, and derivatives thereof; and where B represents an aromatic group selected from the group of benzene, azirine, diazirine, azete, pyrrole, imidazole, pyrazole, triazole, pyridine, pyrazine, diazine, triazine, azepine, diazepine, azocine, phosphole, phosphinine, oxazole, thiophene and derivatives thereof.