Opportunities and Challenges of Aqueous Metal Batteries

Speaking at the Advances in Battery Research 2024, Dr. David Ji, Professor at Oregon State University presented his talk on the opportunities and challenges of aqueous metal batteries.
Scientists aimed to improve battery storage for renewable energy sources like solar and wind power. These aren’t everyday AA batteries, but large-scale systems capable of powering homes or even neighborhoods. One promising avenue explored water-based electrolytes, offering environmental and safety benefits. However, a challenge emerged: the metals within the battery could react with the water, degrading the metal and compromising battery performance or safety over time. Researchers focused on preventing this reaction by meticulously analyzing the battery's components. Their goal was to foster better compatibility between the water and metals, ultimately leading to batteries that could store more energy and have a longer lifespan. Specifically, their investigations delved into the solvation structures of concentrated metal chloride solutions used as electrolytes. They also examined strategies that employed co-salts and co-solvents to manipulate the local structures, ultimately aiming to clarify the connection between the chemical environment and the electrochemical stability window of these aqueous solutions.