TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRONICS - Preferred Components: The electrochemical cell further comprises: a secondary reinforcement layer, such that the reinforcement layer and the secondary reinforcement layer surround the solvophobic layer; and a charging electrode (140) that consists of the oxidant electrode, a separate charging electrode spaced from the fuel and oxidant electrodes or a portion of the fuel electrode. The oxidant electrode is an air electrode configured to absorb ambient air and reduce oxygen, such that the active layer, the solvophobic layer, and the reinforcement layer are air-permeable, and the gaseous oxidant is the oxygen within the ambient air. The reinforcement layer is: also solvophobic to the ionically conductive medium; and electrically isolated from the active layer. The pore size of the reinforcement layer is approximately: the same size or smaller than a pore size of the solvophobic layer; less than 1 mu m, preferably 50-200 nm. The reinforcement layer comprises reinforcement material and a binder, where the reinforcement material comprises carbon and the binder comprises a fluoropolymer material. The binder of the reinforcement layer forms at least a portion of the solvophobic layer. The secondary reinforcement layer and the reinforcement layer comprise a reinforcement material and a binder. The binder of the reinforcement layer and the secondary reinforcement layer forms at least a portion of the solvophobic layer. The fuel electrode and the charging electrode are configured to, during re-charge, reduce a reducible species of the metal fuel to electrodeposit the metal fuel on the fuel electrode and oxidize an oxidizable species of the oxygen by application of a recharge potential difference between them from a power source. Preferred Method: The method for assembling a reinforced oxidant electrode further comprises applying a secondary reinforcement layer to the first side of the solvophobic layer, prior to applying the active layer, such that the active layer is applied to the secondary reinforcement layer, and the reinforcement layer and the secondary reinforcement layer surround the solvophobic layer.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The reducible species of the metal fuel comprises ions of zinc, iron, aluminum, magnesium, or lithium, and the metal fuel is zinc, iron, aluminum, magnesium, or lithium.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The liquid ionically conductive medium comprises an aqueous electrolyte solution, where the aqueous electrolyte solution comprises sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, triflic acid, nitric acid, potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, sodium chloride, potassium nitrate or lithium chloride.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Components: At least one of the solvophobic layer and the reinforcement layer comprise a fluoropolymer material, where the fluoropolymer material comprises PTFE.