Polymer batteries tested
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Flinders University scientists are developing exciting alternatives to lithium-ion batteries.
With the rise of electric vehicles and portable devices, global demand for lithium-ion batteries is straining the availability of essential raw materials like lithium and cobalt.
But new alternatives are being developed that are safer, more affordable, and derived from abundant resources.
Among the most promising solutions are aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs).
A recent study at Flinders University demonstrates the potential of polymer-based AZIBs using organic cathodes.
This approach leverages zinc, a material that is ten times more abundant than lithium, to create batteries with enhanced safety, low toxicity, and accessibility.
The latest innovation lies in the development of polymer cathodes using nitroxide radical polymers, a significant step forward in creating higher-performing batteries.
These materials are both cost-efficient and commercially available, making them highly scalable.
“Our research is building conductivity using nitroxide radical polymer cathodes made from cheap commercial polymer and optimised the battery performance using low-cost additives,” says Associate Professor in Chemistry Zhongfan Jia, a nanotech researcher at the College of Science and Engineering at Flinders University.
The research, spearheaded by Flinders student Nanduni Gamage and postdoctoral fellow Dr Yanlin Shi, has led to the creation of a lab-scale pouch battery.
This model uses polymer that costs around $20 per kilogram, a non-fluorinated electrolyte, and carbon black at just $1 per kilogram, offering a capacity of 60 mAh.
This capacity is sufficient to power small devices, including model cars and electric fans.
One of the key breakthroughs is the higher mass loading of these batteries - an improvement over previous models.
Jia and his team has published findings in Energy Storage Materials, highlighting the progress in transforming a low-cost industrial polymer into organic cathodes.
In addition to the advancements in AZIBs, the Flinders University team has collaborated with Griffith University on a related project focused on dual-ion batteries.