A groundbreaking advancement in battery technology is underway, spearheaded by scientists from Australia and China. They are focusing on creating the first non-toxic aqueous aluminum radical battery, employing water-based electrolytes. This revolutionary battery type has the advantages of fire resistance, air stability, and a likelihood of achieving higher energy density compared to existing lithium-ion batteries.
Research teams from Flinders University in South Australia and Zhejiang Sci-Tech University in China have unveiled the initial phase of this innovative battery development. Their findings have been published in the esteemed Journal of American Chemistry, a leading publication of the American Chemical Society.
The majority of conventional batteries possess hazardous constituents that can wreak environmental havoc when improperly disposed of in landfills or otherwise. Substances such as lead, cadmium, and mercury have the potential to contaminate water sources and soil while posing risks to human and animal health, persisting in the environment for extended periods.
A collaborative effort between Dr. Kai Zhang of Zhejiang Sci-Tech University and Associate Professor Zhongfan Jia’s research laboratory at Flinders University has explored the electrochemistry of stable radicals in the predominantly utilized Lewis acid electrolyte, specifically Al(Otf)3, and conducted battery tests. Their pioneering work has led to the development of aluminum radical batteries that use water-based, fire-resistant, and air-stable electrolytes, boasting a consistent voltage output of 1.25 V and a capacity of 110 mAh g–1 across 800 cycles, with a minuscule 0.028% loss per cycle.
Looking ahead, Professor Zhongfan Jia from the College of Science and Engineering at Flinders University aspires to incorporate biodegradable components in the design of these soft-pack batteries, aiming to produce an eco-friendly and secure energy storage solution.
Multivalent metal ion batteries, such as those containing Al3+, Zn2+, or Mg2+, utilize abundant elements found in the Earth’s crust and offer significantly higher energy density than their lithium-ion counterparts, according to Professor Jia.
Specifically, aluminum-ion batteries (AIBs) are garnering considerable attention due to aluminum’s abundant availability, constituting 8.1% of the Earth’s crust, thus offering the prospect of a sustainable and cost-effective energy storage system. However, current AIBs face the challenge of slow ion movement, resulting in reduced cathode efficiency. Organic conjugated polymers are emerging as potential cathode materials to solve this ion transport issue, though their voltage output performance remains suboptimal.
Stable radicals, which are organic electroactive molecules, have been successfully employed in various organic battery systems. The first commercialized example was by NEC® in 2012. Flinders University’s Jia Lab has a history of developing radical materials for organic hybrid lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, and all-organic batteries. However, these materials had not been applied in AIBs due to gaps in the understanding of their electrochemical reactions in electrolytes.
The research has been financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Australian Research Council.
DOI for the Original Study: 10.1021/jacs.3c04203, Published on 23 June 2023 in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Aluminum Radical Batteries
What is the key innovation behind the aluminum radical batteries?
The key innovation is the development of the world’s first non-toxic aqueous aluminum radical battery that employs water-based electrolytes. These batteries offer fire resistance, air stability, and the potential for higher energy density compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries.
Who are the primary researchers involved in this development?
The primary researchers are teams from Flinders University in South Australia and Zhejiang Sci-Tech University in China. Notable individuals include Dr. Kai Zhang from Zhejiang Sci-Tech University and Associate Professor Zhongfan Jia from Flinders University.
Where has the research been published?
The research findings have been published in the esteemed Journal of American Chemistry, a flagship publication of the American Chemical Society.
What are the environmental benefits of this new battery technology?
The new battery technology aims to be non-toxic and environmentally friendly. Traditional batteries often contain hazardous materials like lead, cadmium, and mercury, which can contaminate water and soil. The aluminum radical batteries aim to mitigate such risks.
What is the expected energy density and performance of these new batteries?
While specifics may vary as development continues, initial tests indicate a stable voltage output of 1.25 V and a capacity of 110 mAh g–1 over 800 cycles with only a 0.028% loss per cycle.
Are there plans to use biodegradable materials in these batteries?
Yes, Professor Zhongfan Jia from Flinders University has expressed aspirations to incorporate biodegradable materials in future iterations of these batteries, further enhancing their environmental sustainability.
What elements do these batteries use, and how abundant are they?
The batteries make use of multivalent metal ions, including Al3+, Zn2+, or Mg2+. Aluminum is particularly noteworthy for being the third most abundant element in the Earth’s crust, making these batteries potentially sustainable and cost-effective.
What challenges remain in the development of aluminum-ion batteries (AIBs)?
One of the major challenges for current AIBs is the slow movement of Al3+ ion complexes, which can result in low cathode efficiency. Research is ongoing to address this issue, possibly through the use of organic conjugated polymers as emerging cathodes.
Who funded the research?
The research has been funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Australian Research Council.
What is the DOI of the original study for those interested in further reading?
The DOI for the original study is 10.1021/jacs.3c04203 and it was published on 23 June 2023 in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
More about Aluminum Radical Batteries
- Journal of American Chemistry
- Flinders University Research
- Zhejiang Sci-Tech University
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Australian Research Council
- DOI for Original Study
- American Chemical Society
10 comments
I wanna read the actual study now. Anyone got the Journal of American Chemistry subscription haha?
Very impressive but I’m curious about the costs. sure, Aluminum’s abundant but what’s it gonna cost to actually make these?
air stable and fire resistant? These scientists are really ticking all the boxes. Keep it up!
Finally, research that gets it. No more toxic waste lying around, and we get better energy density? Sign me up!
So happy to hear that they’re looking at biodegradable materials too. sustainability should be the focus of every industry now.
Wonder how long before this hits the market. Sometimes these developments take ages, which is frustrating.
Hats off to the research teams. Really hoping this will pave the way for cleaner and more efficient energy storage solutions.
Wow, this is a game changer in battery tech. I can’t believe we’re movin towards non-toxic options. Its about time!
Great to see international collaboration between Australia and China. We need more of this. the worlds problems need global solutions.
Mind blown! If this actually works as described, lithium-ion could be a thing of the past. But what’s the catch? There’s always a catch, right?