CANBERRA, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Researchers in Australia have developed a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries using rechargeable aqueous zinc battery (AZB) technology.
A team of Australia's University of Adelaide (UoA) researchers is exploring ways to create a safer and more sustainable battery for electric mobility and power grids, a UoA statement said on Monday.
Unlike lithium-ion batteries, which dominate the market but face supply and environmental concerns, AZBs rely on abundant zinc and water-based liquids that are non-flammable, much safer, and less polluting, the research team said.
However, AZBs have limited life cycles due to their narrow working temperature range, which has slowed down their practical use. The reactions between the zinc and electrolytes in AZBs are uncontrollable, which can cause hydrogen gas release and corrosion within the battery.
The team addressed this by developing a Decoupled Dual-Salt Electrolyte (DDSE), a battery electrolyte that uses two different zinc salts to enhance the performance of a liquid to control the behavior of ions.
Each of the two zinc salts plays a distinct role. One type of salt helps the battery work well in different temperatures and improves how fast the battery can charge, while the other type helps protect the zinc metal inside the battery, so it lasts much longer.
"Together, they give the battery very good performance. It can charge quickly and work for many cycles, over a wide range of temperatures, and with very little energy loss when sitting unused," said the study's first author Li Guanjie from UoA's School of Chemical Engineering.
The results, published in Nature Sustainability, showed the battery retained 93 percent of its capacity after 900 charge-discharge cycles, and worked from -40 degrees Celsius to +40 degrees Celsius, a performance that the researchers say is unmatched in the field.
This approach provides a clear path toward the practical deployment of AZBs in smart grids and electric vehicles, which in turn, offers nations safer and more sustainable energy, the study said.
The team said its next step is to try this electrolyte in a more practical battery system. It will fine-tune the recipe and also improve other battery parts, so as to build a real battery prototype that has a long life, high-energy density, and low cost. ■
