Patent ID: 8012633

Claim:
An air-metal battery comprising: a cathode comprising a gas-diffusion layer that is hydrophobic but permeable to oxygen, and a reaction layer comprising one or more catalysts to reduce oxygen molecules during battery discharge and to produce oxygen molecules during battery recharge; an alkali-metal-containing anode which is oxidized to produce alkali-metal ions; an aqueous catholyte in ionic communication with the cathode; a ion-selective membrane interposed between the alkali-metal containing anode and the aqueous catholyte, the ion-selective membrane being conductive to the alkali-metal ions while being impermeable to the aqueous catholyte; an anolyte interposed between the alkali-metal-containing anode and the ion-selective membrane to conduct the alkali-metal ions; and wherein the ion-selective membrane comprises a dense layer, impermeable to the aqueous catholyte, sandwiched between porous layers, wherein the porous layers comprise a material that is ion-selective and conductive to the alkali-metal ions.