While renewable energy sources such as solar and wind are becoming more popular, the challenge of storing this energy effectively persists. Lithium-ion batteries are typically used, but they rely on materials like lithium, nickel, and cobalt—elements that are increasingly difficult to source and are rising in cost.
Shift to Iron
At Worcester Polytechnic Institute, a team headed by Professor Xiaowei Teng is turning its attention to iron, which is a much more sustainable option. Iron is abundant, easily recycled, and considerably cheaper than traditional battery materials. However, standard iron-nickel batteries, which date back to the era of Thomas Edison, have struggled with low energy efficiency. This inefficiency mainly stems from the unwanted generation of hydrogen gas during the charging phase.
A Game-Changing Discovery
Recently, Teng’s researchers found that incorporating silicate, a common substance found in materials like glass and cement, into the battery's electrolyte could resolve the hydrogen gas problem. This modification could lead to more efficient iron-based batteries that sidestep the sustainability issues associated with lithium-ion technology.
In conclusion, this research holds the promise to transform energy storage in the future. It offers an alternative that could provide a cleaner, more dependable way to store renewable energy—especially for uses such as microgrids and individual solar or wind setups. With further refinements, these iron-based batteries might present a strong, large-scale substitute for the existing technologies used in grid storage.
WPI Research
