Redox flow batteries are considered the most viable option for energy storage among various electrochemical technologies used for electrochemical energy storage. The use of aqueous zinc-based flow batteries offers numerous advantages, such as being environmentally friendly, and constructed from low-cost materials that are abundant and inherently safe. These batteries also have the potential for high theoretical energy density. Alkaline fuel cells / zinc-air batteries face a major hurdle in commercialization due to the degradation of the cathode, which limits their cycle life. In this study, to investigate the durability and degradation of an alkaline air cathode, a novel combination of in-situ and post-mortem analyses was employed. This included modifying the thickness and ratio of carbon/binder in the active layer, as well as monitoring the electrode potential and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy via in-situ analysis. The increased potential loss was found to be caused by the flooding of electrolyte within the primary macro structure of the active layer, leading to an increased mass transfer resistance for oxygen transport. The capability to achieve high power density and prolonged cycle life in zinc-based batteries is hindered by the formation of dendrites on the anode. To address this issue, a new cell design featuring a narrow gap between the electrode and membrane was implemented in a zinc-iodide flow battery. In this novel design, a portion of the electrolyte flows over the electrode surface, and a fraction of the flow passes through the porous felt electrode in the direction of current flow. The power density achieved with the novel flow mode ranks among the highest reported for the zinc-iodide battery. In order to attain high power density and energy density at high current densities, the study employed an electrocatalyst on the positive electrode of the zinc-iodide flow battery, while a perforated copper foil with excellent electrical conductivity was utilized on the negative side. In-situ and ex-situ characterization techniques, including atomic force microscopy coupled with optical microscopy and x-ray diffraction, were employed to elucidate the relationship between the morphology of zinc deposition on the perforated copper foil and battery performance under two different flow field conditions.