Researchers from the University of Adelaide have made a zinc-iodine battery breakthrough that achieves double the performance of lithium-ion models.
According to a news release by the university, a new electrode technique involves the dry processing of iodine cathodes rather than the "traditional wet mixing" of materials, as study leader Professor Shizhang Qiao, chair of nanotechnology and the director of the university's materials engineering center, explained.
While wet mixing reduces energy density, cycle life, and performance of zinc-iodine batteries, Professor Qiao said the dry technique prevents iodine loss, thereby improving performance, and packs more active material to allow for higher capacity.
The researchers also added a flexible protective film to the zinc during charging to prevent shorts in the battery, which can occur due to uneven zinc deposition. But applying the coating to the electrode creates a more stable surface, which improves the battery's capacity.
According to the team's findings, which were published in Joule, aqueous zinc-iodine batteries "are emerging as a promising candidate for large-scale energy storage due to their intrinsic safety, low cost, and environmental friendliness."
Compared to lithium-ion batteries, which are currently a dominant technology for grid-scale storage, zinc batteries are the clear winner in terms of resource availability and thermal stability.
The main obstacle researchers have encountered with zinc-based systems, however, is that they typically have poor performance compared to lithium-ion batteries due to limitations in electrode preparation methods. However, the new technique could unlock the next generation of large-scale energy storage.
As the world transitions to cleaner energy sources, having backup battery power is crucial for ensuring grid stability and reducing reliance on fossil fuels, which still account for a substantial portion of the global energy mix and are the primary driver of climate-related weather events.
Increasingly frequent extreme weather events are a growing threat to grid reliability. With a record number of people installing solar panels to save on energy bills and keep the lights on during power outages, large-scale storage is a necessity to meet demand.
If utilities and major industries can adopt batteries that are more affordable, longer-lasting, and safer, it will help streamline the process and hopefully lead to lower energy bills for consumers when the technology becomes mainstream.
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Absolutely 💯 "Production of the electrodes could be scaled up by using reel-to-reel manufacturing," said Professor Qiao. "By optimizing lighter current collectors and reducing excess electrolytes, the overall system energy density could be doubled from around 45 watt-hours per kilogram (Wh kg−1) to around 90 Wh kg−1.
"We will also test the performance of other halogen chemistries such as bromine systems, using the same dry-process approach," the study leader added.
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