Scientists have developed a low-cost technology that could make rechargeable zinc-air batteries more efficient, safer and cheaper, offering a potential boost to green energy storage and electric mobility.
The breakthrough, achieved by a team led by Dr S. Devaraj at SASTRA Deemed University with support from the Department of Science and Technology (DST), centres on a new nanofluid electrolyte that improves battery performance while reducing corrosion.
Researchers said the electrolyte remains stable for more than three months and can improve the efficiency of the battery’s air cathode while protecting the zinc anode from corrosion. The technology has been granted an Indian patent and is ready for commercial use.
Instead of using expensive corrosion inhibitors, the team added small amounts of silica and zinc oxide nanoparticles to the battery electrolyte. This reduced hydrogen gas formation, limited zinc corrosion and improved oxygen reactions inside the battery, addressing multiple performance issues with a single, low-cost solution.
Rechargeable zinc-air batteries are considered a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries because they are cheaper, have high energy density and use water-based chemistry. However, their commercial use has been limited by corrosion and the need for costly platinum- and ruthenium-based catalysts.
The researchers also developed a catalyst based on copper-doped manganese dioxide that outperformed commercial platinum- and ruthenium-based catalysts in laboratory tests.
In addition, the team converted discarded household water-filter carbon and used surgical face masks into high-performance carbon materials that can be used in batteries and supercapacitors, offering a sustainable way to recycle waste into clean energy technologies.
According to the researchers, the technologies could support large-scale energy storage, electric vehicles and other clean energy applications, while the waste-derived materials and nanofluid electrolyte could also be adapted for other battery systems.
