A global team of researchers has invented recyclable 'water batteries' that won't catch fire or explode. The team use water to replace organic electrolytes -- which enable the flow of electric current between the positive and negative terminals -- meaning their batteries can't start a fire or blow up -- unlike their lithium-ion counterparts.
Lead researcher Distinguished Professor Tianyi Ma said their batteries were at the cutting edge of an emerging field of aqueous energy storage devices, with breakthroughs that significantly improve the technology's performance and lifespan. "Addressing end-of-life disposal challenges that consumers, industry and governments globally face with current energy storage technology, our batteries can be safely disassembled and the materials can be reused or recycled," Ma said.
The team coated affected battery parts with a metal called bismuth and its oxide as a protective layer that prevented dendrite formation."Our batteries now last significantly longer -- comparable to the commercial lithium-ion batteries in the market -- making them ideal for high-speed and intensive use in real-world applications.
"We recently made a magnesium-ion water battery that has an energy density of 75 watt-hours per kilogram -- up to 30% that of the latest Tesla car batteries.""The next step is to increase the energy density of our water batteries by developing new nano materials as the electrode materials.