Development of the World's Longest Lifespan 'ESS Water-Based Battery'

Schematic Overview of Zinc Dendrite Formation Suppression Technology via High-Density Carbon Defect Interfaces

[Asia Economy Reporter Junho Hwang] A zinc-bromine flow battery with 30 times higher charge-discharge current density than lithium-ion batteries and capable of over 5,000 charge-discharge cycles has been developed. The research team evaluated the technology as a contribution to the expansion of renewable energy and the energy storage system (ESS) market.

The research team led by Professor Heetak Kim of the Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and the Next-Generation Battery Center at the Nano Convergence Research Institute announced on the 5th that they developed the longest-lasting aqueous zinc-bromine redox flow battery. The research paper, with PhD candidate Juhyuk Lee from the same department as the first author, was published as the cover paper of the September issue of the international journal Energy & Environmental Science.

Redox Flow Battery Solving Zinc-Induced 'Chronic Problem'

The research team developed technology that can commercialize redox flow batteries. Redox flow batteries store active materials dissolved in the cathode and anode electrolytes in external tanks and supply them to the electrodes using pumps, storing energy through oxidation-reduction reactions of active materials in the electrolyte at the electrode surface.

Commercialization of this battery was delayed due to the short lifespan of zinc used as the anode material. The problem was that zinc metal formed uneven dendritic protrusions during charge-discharge cycles, causing internal short circuits and reducing battery life.

Professor Kim’s research team focused on the fact that self-aggregation of zinc nuclei occurs through surface diffusion at carbon electrode interfaces with low surface energy. They identified that this self-aggregation phenomenon is a major cause of zinc dendrite formation. They also discovered that in a single vacant hole carbon defect structure where one carbon warhead is removed, surface diffusion of zinc nuclei is suppressed, preventing dendrite formation.

Charge-Discharge Current Density 30 Times Higher than Lithium-Ion Batteries

Professor Kim Hee-tak

The research team applied such defect-containing carbon electrodes to the zinc-bromine redox flow battery and succeeded in demonstrating lifespan characteristics of over 5,000 cycles at a high charge-discharge current density (100 mA/cm2), which is 30 times that of lithium-ion batteries. A team representative stated that this battery has the best lifespan performance reported so far among various redox flow batteries.

Professor Heetak Kim said, "The achievement of this study is presenting new technology to overcome the lifespan limitations of next-generation aqueous batteries," adding, "It is not only cheaper than existing lithium-ion batteries but also capable of operating over 5,000 cycles with energy efficiency above 80%, which will contribute to the expansion of renewable energy and the activation of the ESS market."

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