Li-ion pioneer makes breakthrough in cheaper, safer “zinc-air” batteries

A Perth-based researcher who helped pioneer the now ubiquitous lithium-ion battery says there may soon be a safer and cheaper alternative, following a breakthrough in the design of zinc-air batteries.

An Edith Cowan University (ECU) team has been looking into a range of different battery chemistries as part of research effort to find safer, more cost-effective energy storage solutions to help power the global decarbonisation of energy systems and transport.

ECU’s Dr Muhammad Rizwan Azhar, who previously led the project that discovered lithium-ion batteries, says the breakthrough on zinc-air chemistry could see it surpass li-ion as the go-to battery for the booming global electric vehicle industry.

Azhar says that while zinc–air batteries have the advantage of being sourced from relatively abundant and stable materials – a negative electrode from zinc and a positive electrode from air – they have suffered from limited power output and shorter lifespans.

This may have changed, though, following the ECU team’s redesign of zinc-air batteries, using a combination of new materials, including carbon, cheaper iron and cobalt-based minerals.

“The new design has been so efficient it suppressed the internal resistance of batteries, and their voltage was close to the theoretical voltage which resulted in a high peak power density and ultra-long stability,” Azhar said.

“In addition to revolutionising the energy storage industry, this breakthrough contributes significantly to building a sustainable society, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, and mitigating environmental impacts.”

“By using natural resources, such as zinc from Australia and air, this further enhances the cost-effectiveness and viability of these innovative zinc-air batteries for the future.”

Azhar says that due to the abundance of zinc available in countries including Australia, and the ubiquity of air, the zinc-air battery redesign promises a “highly viable and reliable” energy storage solution.

The team also hopes that its zinc-air battery makeover will bring Australia closer to achieving the UN sustainable development goals set by the Paris Agreement, which was established in late 2015 to emphasise the need for sustainable energy resources to limit climate change.