A research team at the University of Maryland (UMD) has overcome a longstanding technical barrier in the field of water-based batteries — expanding the possibilities for these next-gen energy sources.
Water-based batteries have been lauded as a promising next-generation energy storage solution. They have a low fire risk, which can give you peace of mind when using them. The batteries are also eco-friendly because water is the basis for the electrolyte — the part of the battery where ions move between electrodes to create a current — which is less toxic than similar batteries like lead-acid. However, they are more unstable than other batteries, which has created a challenge for widespread usage.
Now, a team led by Chunsheng Wang, a professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at UMD, has developed a novel water-based electrolyte system that carries an unprecedented voltage that has a broad range of potential uses, including powering electric aviation, energy grids, or lithium extraction. The team recently published its research in Nature Nanotechnology.
"We developed membrane-free aqueous/organic bi-layer electrolytes and reduced interface resistance and mixing between the aqueous and organic phases by adding super-lithophilic ionophores," said Xiyue Zhang, postdoctoral researcher in Wang's lab and lead author of the study, in a statement on the UMD website.
The researchers found that their electrolyte system held stable after over 2,000 uses, demonstrating durability.
Researchers previously found that water-based batteries are potentially safer alternatives to lithium batteries. While lithium batteries have enabled the rise of electric vehicles, their organic electrolytes are flammable, creating a fire risk. Water-based batteries, on the other hand, won't combust.
Water-based batteries are not only safe, but they can be good for your wallet, too. The batteries are made from water and other cheap materials — which scientists hope can one day cost one-tenth of what current lithium-ion battery packs do.
While the timeline for producing these water-based batteries is unclear, UMD scientists said their findings "offer a theoretical and technological foundation for building next-generation energy storage systems that are both safe and high in energy density."
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