TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The porous substrate comprises graphite, an intercalation compound of graphite, a high surface area carbon, carbon nanotubes, a sponge of aluminum, a sponge of titanium, or a sponge of an aluminum-titanium alloy; and has a covering layer of carbon or graphite, where the covering layer has a thickness of less than 1 mu m. The electrolyte medium is a non-aqueous medium comprising a solid or a liquid. The solid comprises sodium beta alumina, lithium beta alumina, or sodium nitrite. The electrolyte medium comprises an ionic liquid or a polymer electrolyte. The electrolyte medium comprises the alkali metal. The energy storage cell further comprises a solid electrolyte interphase film covering the anode, where the solid electrolyte interphase film has an equivalent volume at least equal to the equivalent volume of the alkali metal. The air cathode comprises an oxygen redox catalyst. The redox catalyst comprises manganese dioxide, silver, cobalt(II,III) oxide, lanthanum oxide, lanthanum nickelate, nickel cobaltite, or lanthanum manganite. The air cathode is formed having a three phase structure in which the catalyst is located, and in which oxygen, material from the electrolyte medium and the catalyst interact. The cell also comprises reduced oxygen species which are formed at the air cathode with alkali cations provided by the anode, on discharge of the cell.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - METALLURGY - Preferred Component: The molten alkali metal comprises a metal selected from lithium (Li), sodium (Na), potassium (K), rubidium (Rb), cesium (Cs), or metal alloy comprising greater than or equal to 2 alkali metals. The alloy comprises metal(s) selected from gold (Au), mercury (Hg), indium (In), lead (Pb), antimony (Sb), tin (Sn), bismuth (Bi), or tellurium (Te). The molten alkali metal has temperature of less than 50 degrees C above the melting point of the metal. The molten alkali metal is supported by a porous substrate.