ZinCycle
Improving the cycle stability of rechargeable zinc-air batteries through glass-based coating of zinc particles - ZinCycle
As the integration of fluctuating renewable energy sources into the power grid increases, so does the need for high-performance energy storage systems to shift energy from periods of surplus to periods of increased demand. The direct electrochemical storage of energy in rechargeable batteries has the advantage over other possible storage systems that the efficiency relative to energy density during the charging and discharging processes exceeds 90%, depending on the active materials used.
In addition to lithium-ion batteries—which are used particularly in the fields of electromobility and consumer electronics and feature high power density and moderate cycle stability—metal-air batteries offer the advantage for stationary energy storage solutions that a reaction partner can be drawn from the ambient air. The use of zinc as an anode material offers further advantages here in terms of raw material availability and recyclability. Such systems have long been known and commercially available as primary batteries for electronic applications, such as in hearing aids. However, the practically achievable energy density and cycle stability, in particular, are not yet satisfactory for use as rechargeable stationary secondary batteries.
The overall ZinCycle research project therefore aims to develop a resource-optimized, recyclable, and rechargeable zinc-air battery for use in stationary applications. The goal of the Keylab Glass Technology subproject is to coat the zinc anode material with a suitable inorganic, recyclable coating in order to reduce the degradation of zinc in the electrochemical cell and to enable the zinc-air battery to be recharged.
Project Profile
Duration: 01.09.2022 - 31.08.2025
Funding: BMBF
Project Partners:
Contact: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Thorsten Gerdes, Nicolas Hacker