Scientists reveal new battery breakthrough that could change how we store power: 'This report is the first step'

Federal scientists are reducing the size of a fascinating battery as part of a materials analysis project they think can garner big results for energy storage. 

Success could mean an improved way to store cleaner, yet intermittent, power from the sun and wind, which is crucial to our transition to an energy system that limits heat-trapping air pollution. 

The research involves flow batteries being examined in labs at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Washington state. The experts have developed a mini version of one that's around the size of a playing card. It only needs material equivalent to "a few grains of sand" to operate, per a news release. The substances must be highly pure to flow in the miniaturized works.

The goal is to more quickly validate battery tech with a faster, more efficient test system.

"This report is the first step, showing that scaling down our experimental system works. Our ultimate goal is to bring the power of AI and robotics into this process to automate and accelerate the testing of new flow battery designs," researcher Ruozhu Feng, a lead author of the study, said.  

Flow batteries aren't like their lithium-ion counterparts that power our devices and electric vehicles. They have two chambers. Each one contains a different type of liquid. The charge/discharge cycle happens with an electrochemical reaction, storing the electricity in chemical bonds, which can be used to power tech. The setups typically include pumps, pipes, and a membrane. The membrane keeps the liquids separate while allowing for ion passage, according to the Pacific Northwest team and a study shared by ScienceDirect. 

Because of their design, they provide for "flexible scaling," the experts said. 

And while it is already being deployed, the tech has never fully taken off for mainstream use, according to Chemical & Engineering News. However, experts from that 2023 report were high on the battery type gaining momentum. 

The Pacific Northwest group echoed the optimism. 

"Flow batteries are a linchpin technology — they store energy from intermittent energy sources such as wind and hydroelectric power, and then release that energy on demand for grid-scale applications," the experts noted. 

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Just like with their lithium-ion cousins, flow battery researchers are on the hunt for lower-cost and better-performing materials that can be sourced stateside, reducing dependence on sometimes problematic foreign markets. 

Another energy-storing technique that uses the power of abundant water and gravity, called a water battery, is being developed in Scotland and elsewhere for large-scale use.

By storing renewables, the devices can reduce planet-warming fumes from burning dirty fuels, as well as provide grid support and blackout protection. Air pollution — and the resulting Earthwide overheating — is linked by NASA to an increased risk for severe storms. They can, in turn, cause more power outages. 

At Pacific Northwest, experts are optimistic that their small test model can help them quickly vet a wide range of materials for flow battery use. They have applied to patent the innovation. 

"With this mini flow cell process, we can figure out whether a proposed new material works with only a tiny amount — milligrams — available," Feng said.

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