Cutaneous respiration inspired porous seawater electrodes

Electron transfer between oxygen molecules and electrodes is important for various underwater devices. However, the combined difficulties in renewing dissolved oxygen molecules and creating electron transfer are still challenges. In this work, we report cutaneous respiration inspired porous seawater electrodes, which are formed by packing porous seawater, solid electrodes, and dialysis membranes. The dialysis bags allow capture of oxygen molecules from external environments. The porous seawater bridges electron transfer between the renewed oxygen and the solid electrode through sodium-ion intercalation/deintercalation under artificial waves. This strategy is expected to enhance performance of underwater devices powered by metal-oxygen batteries and may inspire other technologies that are based on electron transfer between dissolved gas molecules and solid electrodes.