Improving the Performance of Aqueous Zinc-Based Batteries with Magnetic Fields

About This Grant

Increasing energy demands coupled with dependence on fossil fuels have promoted research into efficient renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal and wave energy. These intermittent energy sources must be used in conjunction with devices capable of storing energy. Owing to their high energy density, affordability, scalability, and environmental safety, water-based (aqueous) metal-ion batteries have been proposed as a viable solution for large-scale or grid-scale energy storage. Zinc, a naturally abundant and non-toxic metal has emerged as a front-runner in the development of aqueous-based batteries. Unfortunately, current limitations of aqueous batteries drastically reduce their efficiency and durability. As a result they currently cannot outperform Lithium-ion batteries to meet national energy demands. The goal of this project is to overcome the performance-inhibiting limitations of aqueous zinc-based batteries through the use of weak to moderate magnetic fields and realize safer and sustainable energy storage solutions. Permanent magnets can be integrated into battery housings to induce phenomena that benefit performance, such as fluidic rotation and spatial control over reactive chemical species. They offer an elegant and simple approach towards the realization of high-performing aqueous zinc-based batteries. This project focuses on advancing the utility and understanding of the role of magnetic fields in electrochemical systems with an emphasis on electrode materials and electrochemical processes related to aqueous Zn-based batteries. The project will address the critical need in correlating systematic experimental data with computational modeling to help understand effects of magnetic fields on i) the structure of the solid/electrolyte interface under various experimental conditions, ii) regional and global ion-transportation, and iii) the performance of aqueous Zn-based batteries. The central hypothesis of this project is that incorporating magnetic fields into reactions, processes, and device operation will enable efficient and tunable control over critical surface processes and fluid flow, resulting in enhanced device performance. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.