In order to explain this result, we consider the following mechanism, which is based on the

basic electrochemical processes [29] that take place in an Al-air battery. First, at the cathode,
the following reaction occurs
𝑂2 + 2𝐻2 𝑂 + 4𝑒 − → 4𝑂𝐻 − , (1)
where the oxygen from the ambient air and water of the electrolyte produce 𝑂𝐻 − at the cathode.
Through the electrolyte medium in the sample pores, 𝑂𝐻 − migrates to the aluminum anode,
where a discharge reaction of the following form takes place
𝐴𝑙 + 4𝑂𝐻 − → 𝐴𝑙(𝑂𝐻)− −
4 + 3𝑒 . (2)
Based on the two reactions above (1) and (2), the overall reaction of the Al-air battery is
4𝐴𝑙 + 3𝑂2 + 6𝐻2 𝑂 + 4𝑂𝐻 − → 4𝐴𝑙(𝑂𝐻)− 4. (3)
After the discharge reaction,
4𝐴𝑙(𝑂𝐻)− −
4 → 𝐴𝑙(𝑂𝐻)3 +𝑂𝐻 , (4)
its product 𝐴𝑙(𝑂𝐻)3 (aluminum hydroxide) accumulates on the anode suface.
It is known that the oxygen and OH- ions have diameters of about 0.36 nm [30] and 0.11
nm [31], respectively, while the Na+ and Cl- ions in the electrolyte have an average diameter
of about 0.72 nm and 0.66 nm [17]. Comparing these ranges of ion sizes with the pore size
distribution in Fig. 2b and Table 1, one can distinguish the following three situations at the
samples during the above electrochemical reactions.