ICMAB-CSIC researchers develop high-power zinc-air battery design

Researchers from the Institute of Materials Science of Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC), in collaboration with ICN2 and the National University of La Plata, have developed a new design for zinc-air batteries that increases power output by up to 80%.

The innovation, published in the journal Energy Storage Materials, involves incorporating loose conductive elements within the electrolyte. These components act as wireless bipolar electrodes that reduce internal resistance and accelerate charge transport. This approach challenges a long-standing industry principle that conductive materials should be excluded from the electrolyte to prevent short circuits.

By utilizing the internal electric field, these metallic pieces undergo polarization without being connected by wires, creating new pathways for electrochemical reactions. While not a definitive final solution, the research offers a new development path for zinc-air technology, which is valued for using abundant, inexpensive, and non-combustible materials.