Water-based zinc batteries replace lithium batteries. Technology breakthroughs or rumors?

　　Following the development of water-based lithium batteries last year, the University of Maryland has also developed water-based zinc batteries. Can it be commercialized this time?

　　Following the development of water-based lithium batteries last year, the University of Maryland has also developed water-based zinc batteries. Can it be commercialized this time?

　　American researchers have developed a rechargeable water-based zinc battery that not only has a large capacity, a long life, and is safer, it is expected to become an ideal substitute for the currently widely used lithium battery.

　　For batteries, small size, large capacity, long life, high safety, and low manufacturing cost are all ideal quality requirements, but batteries that combine these characteristics are currently difficult to find. Take lithium batteries, which are widely used in consumer electronics products. Although they are remarkable in terms of capacity, volume, and lifespan, their explosion risk has caused many people to criticize them.

　　This time, a research team composed of researchers from the University of Maryland, the Army Research Laboratory, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology combined the traditional zinc battery technology with the water battery technology to develop a larger capacity and safer rechargeable battery. They use a new type of aqueous electrolyte to replace the flammable organic electrolyte used in traditional lithium-ion batteries, which greatly improves the safety of the battery; and by adding metallic zinc and adding salt to the electrolyte, the energy density of the battery is effectively improved.

　　Researchers pointed out that zinc battery is a safe and relatively low-cost battery, but it has low energy density and short lifespan, so it is not perfect. The new water-based zinc battery overcomes these shortcomings of the traditional zinc battery, not only greatly improves the energy density of the battery, but also extends the battery life a lot. Compared with lithium batteries, water-based zinc batteries not only have a higher energy density, but are also much safer, without the risk of explosion or fire.

　　Researchers are full of confidence in the commercialization prospects of new water-based zinc batteries. They said that the new battery can not only be used in consumer electronics products and become a strong competitor of lithium batteries, but can also be used in extreme environments such as space and deep sea, and is useful in aerospace, deep-sea exploration and military fields.

　　Related research results were published in the latest issue of "Nature·Materials" magazine.

　　In fact, as early as September last year, researchers from the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and the University of Maryland first developed a lithium-ion battery that uses a salt solution as an electrolyte, which can meet the requirements of household electronic devices (such as laptop computers). 4.0 volts, and does not have the fire and explosion hazards that some commercially available non-aqueous lithium-ion batteries have.

　　According to Dr. Kang Xu, an ARL researcher who specializes in electrochemistry and materials science and the lead author of the study, this technology will provide soldiers with a completely safe and flexible lithium-ion battery with the same energy as SOA lithium-ion batteries. density. Even in the case of severe mechanical abuse, the battery still has no risk of fire and explosion.

　　Comment: Water-based systems have significant effects in improving battery safety. From solid-state batteries to graphene batteries to the current water-based zinc batteries, new battery concepts are always emerging, but so far in practical applications , No battery can truly achieve a breakthrough and achieve industrialization. New battery technology can be paid attention to, but these so-called new technologies are more hype concepts, and the industry should pay more attention to whether the new technology has the conditions for industrialization in the near future.