The new versions of zinc-air batteries could become the best alternative to current lithium-based batteries (lithium ions), increasing efficiency and reducing the environmental impact of this technology, according to a study led by experts from the Edith Cowan University (ECU, in Joondalup, Australia).
The results of this research, published in the EcoMat magazine, remind us that lithium-ion batteries, although they are a widely used option for electric vehicles around the world, are affected by problems such as price, limited mineral resources and safety concerns and material recycling.
Engineers and specialized companies from all over the world have been working for years on various possible alternatives to lithium, without having been able to come up with an immediately marketable response.
Zinc-air structures have been used for years in various electricity storage applications, but until now a rechargeable version with sufficient advantages over lithium versions has not been available.
"Zinc-air rechargeable batteries (ZAB) are becoming more attractive due to their low cost, environmental friendliness, high theoretical energy density and inherent safety," said Muhammad Rizwan Azhar, a chemical engineer and researcher at ECU. .
With the emergence of long-range electric vehicles on the market and the possibility of applying this type of energy storage in aircraft and boats, "there is an increasing need for safer, more cost-effective, high-performance battery systems that can outperform the capacities of lithium-ion batteries", highlights Muhammad Azhar in a note released by his university.
A zinc-air battery consists of a negative zinc electrode and a positive air electrode. The main disadvantage of this type of batteries has been, until now, the limited output power, due to the low performance of the air electrodes, and its short useful life.
ECU advancement has allowed engineers to use a combination of relatively inexpensive and accessible materials such as carbon, iron, and cobalt to redesign zinc-air batteries.
"The new design has been so efficient that it suppressed the internal resistance of the batteries, and its voltage was close to the theoretical voltage, resulting in high peak power density and ultra-long stability," Azhar says.
"In addition to revolutionizing the energy storage industry, this breakthrough contributes significantly to building a sustainable society, reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and mitigating environmental impacts."
"By using natural resources, such as zinc from Australia and air, the profitability and viability of these innovative zinc-air batteries for the future is further improved", highlights this Australian researcher.
Azhar recalls that although renewable energies, such as solar, wind and hydroelectric, play a fundamental role in the future of energy, they are not by themselves completely reliable solutions and they already provide resources intermittently, which is why systems of Advanced and large-capacity electricity storage.
"Due to the abundance of zinc available in countries like Australia - and the ubiquity of air - this alternative may become 'a highly viable and reliable energy storage solution,' Azhar explains.
The ECU, in addition to praising its researchers, claims that "redesigning zinc-air batteries could "move Australia closer to the UN sustainable development goals and targets set by the Paris Agreement, which was set in late 2015 to emphasize the need for sustainable energy resources to limit climate change".
