A team of researchers from Japan's Tohoku University is taking on hydrophobes.
No, not the fear of water, but lab work centered on better battery science.
Hydrophobicity — when materials naturally repel water — has been one of the obstacles to implementing promising, safe, and low-cost water-based batteries that could be more widely used for grid storage and powering electric vehicles, according to the university's news release.
The key components of these batteries are common and not flammable, making them an attractive alternative to the lithium-ion batteries that use expensive and combustible parts. But how to solve the hydrophobicity issue …
The Tohoku researchers have developed an electrode material that works well with a water-based electrolyte, eliminating the problem. They say their new organic redox polymer could also help enable recycling, another long-standing hurdle for batteries of this type.
"By combining high charge storage capacity with recyclability, we can open new directions for sustainable battery research," associate professor Kouki Oka said in the release.
Their solution involved combining some components with the right attributes.
P-dihydroxybenzene is an organic molecule that has high charge storage capacity. Through a condensation reaction, the team "introduced" the molecule into a polyamine, "which is water-soluble due to its positive charge," according to the release.
The combo tackles the hydrophobicity issue. It can also be broken back down into its component parts in water. A rendering provided with the release shows a circular process, from battery production through use and recycling.
"This study provides a design strategy for making hydrophobic redox molecules compatible with aqueous systems," Oka said.
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Absolutely 👍 Experts in Korea, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and elsewhere are also developing innovative water-based batteries.
It's important to note that common lithium-ion packs are generally high-performing, safe, and reliable. Gas-powered cars are more likely to catch fire than EVs powered by the existing battery type, according to reports. Recurrent has also reported that Goldman Sachs said battery prices could fall 50% by next year, compared to 2023 prices, due to cheaper chemistries, better performance, and more recycling.
Through August, global 2025 EV sales grew 25% compared to the prior year, though that 12.5 million total includes plug-in hybrids, according to Ars Technica. Sales are growing more slowly in the United States as federal policy changes have nixed up to $7,500 in tax breaks for the cleaner rides beginning Oct. 1. But certain states are continuing to offer their own perks. And EV owners continue to enjoy about $1,500 a year in gas and maintenance savings.
What's more, less-expensive EV options are on the way. Ford is retiring two popular gas-guzzlers in favor of a $30,000 electric pickup set to debut in the coming years, for example.
Each EV that replaces a gas-powered car prevents thousands of pounds of heat-trapping air pollution, per government data. And the tailpipe exhaust is among the gases linked by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to greater risks for the extreme weather that's compromising human health and safety as well as impacting insurance coverage and pricing.
Continuing to improve and diversify EV batteries and grid storage through water-based innovations should only strengthen the global clean energy transition. As Oka said in the release, "Our next step is to evaluate durability and other performance factors to understand the full potential of this material for real-world applications."
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