New Delhi: Indian researchers have unveiled a groundbreaking aluminum battery technology that is flexible, safe, and eco-friendly, offering a strong alternative to conventional lithium-ion batteries. This innovation marks a major advancement in sustainable energy storage solutions.
Lithium-ion batteries, widely used in phones, laptops, electric vehicles, and wearable devices, are often prone to overheating and explosion.
In contrast, the newly developed aluminum battery technology utilizes aluminum—one of the Earth’s most abundant metals – along with a water-based solution. This combination makes the battery cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and significantly safer to handle.
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Aluminum Battery Technology: Developed by CeNS and IISc Bengaluru Researchers
The breakthrough comes from scientists at the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru – an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST) – in collaboration with the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE), Indian Institute of Science (IISc).
The team overcame challenges of aluminum’s complex chemistry by engineering materials at the microscopic level.
The researchers designed a unique cathode made of copper hexacyanoferrate (CuHCFe), pre-filled with aluminum ions, and paired it with a molybdenum trioxide (MoO₃) anode. This design produced a flexible, high-performance battery capable of bending and folding without losing efficiency.
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Aluminum battery technology testing shows that it maintains 96.77% of its energy capacity even after 150 charge-discharge cycles, ensuring extended usability. Notably, the battery continues to function even when folded in half, a feature demonstrated by powering an LCD display at extreme bending angles.
Such resilience opens possibilities for developing flexible gadgets, wearable devices integrated into fabrics, and safer electric vehicles.
The team employed advanced techniques like electron microscopy and spectroscopy to balance components for optimal performance. This breakthrough represents a major stride in multivalent ion battery technology and strengthens India’s position in pioneering next-generation, safe, and sustainable energy storage solutions like aluminium battery technology.
