Researchers at Edith Cowan University in Australia have redesigned zinc-air batteries and have found the technology to be preferable to lithium-ion batteries – even for electric vehicles, and they claim to have overcome the technology’s notorious power output limitations.
Zinc-air batteries consist of a zinc negative electrode and an air positive electrode. The chemistry holds promise and is significantly more sustainable than lithium-based counterparts, but the poor performance of air electrodes and short lifespan has limited the technology’s power output.
However, the Edith Cowan team says it has made a breakthrough in the technology which has enabled engineers to use a combination of new materials, such as carbon, cheaper iron and cobalt based minerals, to overcome these issues.
Source: PV Magazine: Read The Article
PSR Analysis: Rechargeable zinc-air batteries (ZABs) have a higher energy density than lithium-ion batteries, meaning that they can store more energy in a smaller space. This makes them more efficient and capable of powering EVs for longer distances. They’re also less expensive to produce than lithium-ion batteries, have a longer lifespan and are safer. The study is still in its early stages, but the Edith Cowan researchers are optimistic that it could lead to the development of commercially viable zinc-air batteries for EVs. PSR
Guy Youngs is Forecast & Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research
