Scientists unveil breakthrough that could upend a century of battery technology: 'They are easily scalable'

A cadre of scientists from a few Chinese universities think they have a breakthrough for an electrochemical battery design that's been around for a century, according to Tech Xplore. 

The research group is working on redox flow batteries, which are bulky energy storers that use pipes, pumps, and tanks to move and store electrolytes, called the anolyte and catholyte. The liquids are pumped through an electrochemical cell, separated by a membrane as part of a process that changes chemical energy into electricity. While they can be easily scaled, their structure is best-suited for stationary grid storage, all per Tech Xplore and ScienceDirect. 

RFBs are flexible in size, and they can have a low cost and long lifespan, MIT News added. Research at Concordia University in Montréal is using water-based solutions in RFBs, offering more advantages, including safety. 

"Because they are easily scalable, they are typically used for storing large amounts of energy," Tech Xplore's Bob Yirka wrote. 

The team from China looks to address efficiency concerns with a new catalytic electrode using polysulfide-iodide. It starts with thin nanosheets enhanced with cobalt atoms and sulfur "vacancies," making a new material that improves operations, according to the article. 

The important part is the success rate. Experts are touting nearly 88% efficiency during 850 cycles. They bill the results as a "significant improvement" over current iterations. An electrolyte refresh could restore better performance after several hundred cycles, all per the report. 

Other flow battery researchers, working for the U.S. government, aren't limiting these packs to large-scale use. They have a tiny version that's about the size of a playing card, opening new applications for the tech. 

The goal is to create a lower-cost, planet-friendly way to store renewable energy, crucial in the shift from fossil fuel burning. Rampant nonrenewable use releases gases that are overheating the planet. NASA has linked the conditions to increased risks for severe weather, including tornadoes and wildfires. Even just a couple of degrees makes an impact, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration noted. The planet has warmed about 2 degrees Fahrenheit since 1850, for example. 

Lithium-ion and even sodium-based batteries are now storing loads of electricity from the sun and wind. And tech for those pack types are constantly improving, too. But Sustainability by Numbers reported that there will be a need for tens of millions of tons of deposits to make cleaner tech by 2040, requiring invasive mining, problematic processing, and foreign supply chains. But it's still far short of the 16.5 billion tons of fossil fuels pulled from Earth annually. 

An effective pack that provides adequate storage sans the materials concerns would be ideal. Improved RFBs are in the mix as a solution thanks to ongoing research from the Chinese lab and elsewhere. 

Should the U.S. invest more in battery innovations? Absolutely 💯 Depends on the project 🤔 We're investing enough 👍 We should invest less 📉 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"The global challenge of energy crises underscores the importance of addressing the massive depletion of fossil fuels. … [RFBs] have received great attention due to their high scalability, design flexibility … and enhanced safety," the experts wrote in findings published by Nature. 

The cleaner energy shift is well underway, saving households cash on utility bills. Community solar programs allow homeowners to tap power from nearby solar farms without installing tech at home, often through a subscription plan. Savings can stack up to $150 annually. 

You can also save energy immediately by turning a knob on your washing machine. Heating water accounts for 90% of a washer's power use. Using the cold cycle can bank around $250 a year if you run it daily. 

Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.