The "perfect alternative" to lithium-ion batteries: water-based rechargeable batteries are cheaper and safer
Finance Associated Press, December 29 (edited by Huang Junzhi) An innovative technology can safely convert hydrogen into water, thereby improving the safety of batteries. This advancement paves the way for the commercialization of more economical and safer water-based rechargeable batteries.
This summer, the Earth is experiencing extreme weather patterns, including severe heat waves and heavy rainfall. In these challenging times, the adoption of renewable energy and the strengthening of associated infrastructure as a strategy to protect the planet is now more urgent than ever. However, this approach faces significant challenges due to the unpredictable nature of renewable energy generation, which relies on uncertain variables such as unstable weather conditions.
As a result, there is an increasing demand for energy storage systems (ESS) that can store and supply electricity on demand, but the lithium-ion batteries (LiBs) currently used in energy storage systems are not only expensive but also prone to potential fires, so there is an urgent need to develop cheaper and safer alternatives.
The team of Dr. Oh, Si Hyoung at the Energy Storage Research Center of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) has developed a highly safe water-based rechargeable battery that can provide "alternative energy" in a timely manner while meeting the needs of cost and safety. Despite the lower energy density achievable, it has significant economic advantages due to the fact that the cost of raw materials is much lower than that of lithium-ion batteries.
Until now, researchers have often tried to improve safety by installing a protective layer on the surface to minimize the contact area between the metal anode and the electrolyte. However, in most cases, corrosion of the metal anode and the accompanying water splitting in the electrolyte are unavoidable, and in long-term operation, the constant accumulation of hydrogen can cause a potential explosion.
To solve this problem, the research team developed a composite catalyst composed of manganese dioxide and palladium, which can automatically convert the hydrogen produced inside the battery into water, thus ensuring the performance and safety of the battery.
The researchers explained that manganese dioxide does not react with hydrogen under normal conditions, but when a small amount of palladium is added, the hydrogen is easily absorbed by the catalyst to form water. In the prototype cell loaded with the newly developed catalyst, the internal pressure of the cell was kept well below the safety limit, and no electrolyte consumption was observed.
The results of this study effectively solve one of the most concerned safety problems in water batteries, and take an important step for the commercial application of ESS in the future. Replacing lithium batteries with cheaper and safer water batteries could even trigger rapid growth in the global ESS market.
(Finance Associated Press Huang Junzhi)