Recharging the Future: Air-Based Batteries Could Outperform Lithium-Ion
By Bilal Haider :
Scientists at China’s Donghua University have announced a significant breakthrough in zinc–air battery technology, potentially overcoming key technical barriers that have long restricted the commercial use of this promising energy storage system.
Zinc–air batteries have been considered an attractive alternative to conventional lithium-ion cells because zinc is widely available, inexpensive and environmentally safe. These batteries generate power by reacting zinc with oxygen from the surrounding air, offering a theoretical energy density close to that of lithium-based batteries. However, real-world performance has remained limited due to poor long-term stability, degradation of air electrodes and declining efficiency during repeated charging cycles.
The new study presents an innovative air-electrode design that integrates light-responsive behavior with advanced electrocatalysis. The researchers developed a hybrid catalyst made from graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets combined with a self-supported carbon nanofiber network. This structure is further enhanced with two forms of cobalt active sites: carbon-encapsulated cobalt nanoparticles and atomically dispersed cobalt–nitrogen (Co–N₄) centers.
Together, these components form a type-II p–n heterojunction, which promotes directional movement of electrical charges when exposed to light. According to the researchers, this mechanism enables photogenerated electrons to flow toward the conductive carbon framework, improving the oxygen reduction reaction, while the corresponding positive charges assist the oxygen evolution reaction at nearby catalytic sites.
This spatial separation of charges limits energy losses caused by recombination and significantly lowers reaction energy barriers. Laboratory tests demonstrated a remarkably small overpotential gap of only 0.684 volts under illumination, outperforming many existing dual-function catalysts.
When integrated into functional zinc–air battery prototypes, the photo-assisted system delivered a peak power density of 310 milliwatts per square centimeter and maintained stable charge–discharge performance for more than 1,100 hours.
The breakthrough comes at a critical time, as global demand for energy storage continues to rise alongside the expansion of renewable energy sources. While lithium-ion batteries dominate the market, they depend on expensive and politically sensitive materials such as cobalt and nickel. Zinc–air batteries, by contrast, rely on abundant resources and operate with water-based, non-flammable electrolytes, making them safer and potentially cheaper.
Beyond zinc–air systems, the researchers believe their design strategy could be extended to other metal–air batteries and solar-assisted electrochemical technologies. More broadly, the work highlights the potential of directly coupling solar energy with electrochemical storage, helping bridge the gap between renewable power generation and real-time energy use.
If scaled successfully, this innovation could play a key role in reshaping global battery supply chains and supporting the transition toward a more sustainable and electrified energy future.
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