Sep 12, 2023 06:00:00

Possibility of “zinc-air battery” opening up a new path for secondary batteries

Many modern electrical appliances, such as smartphones and electric cars, use rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Due to the increased demand, problems such as the depletion of the material lithium and

soaring prices have arisen, so while the search for secondary batteries to replace lithium is progressing, a new battery called 'zinc-air battery' has been developed. Researchers have revealed that they have obtained significant findings.

CoNiFe‐layered double hydroxide decorated Co‐N‐C network as a robust bi‐functional oxygen electrocatalyst for zinc‐air batteries - Arafat - EcoMat - Wiley Online Library
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/eom2.12394

Move over lithium-ion: Zinc-air batteries a cheaper and safer alternative - ECU Newsroom

https://www.ecu.edu.au/newsroom/articles/research/move-over-lithium-ion-zinc-air-batteries-a-cheaper-and-safer-alternative

Lithium-ion batteries generally generate electricity by placing a carbon-based material on the negative electrode and a metal oxide on the positive electrode, allowing lithium ions to move back and forth. Zinc-air batteries use zinc for the negative electrode and oxygen from the air taken in from the outside for the positive electrode to generate electricity, and because the materials are cheap, there are expectations that it could be used as an alternative to lithium. , I have a problem with low voltage.

Muhammad Azhar and his colleagues from Edith Cowan University in Australia reviewed existing materials used as negative electrodes, synthesized a new nanocomposite material containing cobalt, nickel, and iron, and used it as a negative electrode.

A zinc-air battery using this material exhibited a high open circuit voltage of 1.48 V, and achieved a low potential difference of 0.77 V at a current density of 5 mAcm during charging and discharging. It has been confirmed that other materials do not maintain stability due to high potential differences, but Azhar et al.'s material showed stable performance for up to 950 hours or more.

'The new design is highly efficient, suppressing the battery's internal resistance and its voltage close to the theoretical voltage, resulting in high power density and ultra-long-term stability,' Azhar said. 'Not only will this technology revolutionize the energy storage industry, but it will also make a significant contribution to creating a sustainable society, reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and mitigating our impact on the environment.'