University of Adelaide.
A University of Adelaide designed and patented battery technology could revolutionise electricity storage by providing a safer, cheaper and more reliable model.
The project has secured a A$1million research contract with Chinese battery manufacturer Zhuoyue Power New Energy to bring it to market in about a year.
The new design uses non-toxic zinc and manganese, two metals abundant in Australia, and incombustible aqueous electrolyte to produce a battery with a high energy density.
“I can imagine this battery being used on all vehicle types from small scooters to even diesel electric trains. Also in homes that need batteries to store solar power, or even large solar/wind farms,” battery designer Dr Dongliang Chao says.
Dr Dongliang Chao
The high energy safe battery opens up markets where the battery weight, size and safety are essential factors, including automotive and aerospace, and domestic and commercial buildings, and grid-scale energy storage.
Chao and professor Shi-Zhang Qiao from the university’s School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials say the potential for the technology is huge.
“With more sustainable energy being produced – such as through wind and solar farms – storing this energy in batteries in a safe, non-expensive and environmentally sound way is becoming more urgent but current battery materials – including lithium, lead and cadmium – are expensive, hazardous and toxic,” Chao says.
“Our new electrolytic battery technology uses the non-toxic zinc and manganese and incombustible aqueous electrolyte to produce a battery with a high energy density. The high energy safe battery opens up markets where the battery weight/size and safety are essential factors, such as automotive and aerial vehicles, and domestic and commercial dwellings.”
The battery uses basic materials and simple manufacturing processes, so will be much cheaper to produce and easier to recycle than existing batteries of comparable energy density, Chao adds.
The cost of the new electrolytic Zn–Mn battery is estimated at about US$10 per kWh – much less than for lithium-ion batteries of US$300 per kWh, Ni–Fe batteries US$72 per kWh, and lead–acid batteries US$48 per kWh, the researchers say.
