Zinc-air electrochemical cells with carbon dioxide scavengers

A zinc-air battery comprising an air cathode, a zinc anode, an electrolyte, and a housing,

• wherein:
• the housing comprises an anode can and a cathode can with an insulating gasket therebetween;
• the cathode can comprises multiple air ports;
• the anode can defines an anode chamber;
• the zinc-air battery comprises a cellulose air diffusion layer between the cathode can and the anode chamber;
• an air reservoir is defined by the cathode can and the cellulose air diffusion layer having a first face proximal to the air reservoir and an opposite and second face proximal to a porous diffusion layer;
• wherein the air reservoir and the cellulose air diffusion layer comprise a carbon dioxide scrubbing agent comprising a film or powder of lithium hydroxide combined with a hygroscopic material comprising polyvinyl alcohol.