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Batteries

Breakthrough in Zinc-Air Batteries: Research Finds Innovative Solution for Energy Efficiency

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Researchers from the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) have made significant strides in the development of zinc-air batteries, an innovative solution for improving energy efficiency. According to the study, the project's primary goal was to find a way to decrease the charge voltage and enhance energy efficiency in zinc-air batteries. Funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Program, and Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province, the researchers successfully created a new method for synthesizing highly active, stable, and low-cost photoelectrocatalysts.

Key Takeaways:

  • The research team successfully developed a pulsed laser method for the rapid preparation of MXene-derived TiO/high-entropy alloy heterojunctions (M-TiO/HEAs) as photoelectrocatalysts.
  • The innovative method allows for exceptional photo-thermal conversion capability, achieving a local temperature of up to 2800 K with ultra-fast heating and cooling rates.
  • Zinc-air batteries incorporating M-TiO/HEAs exhibited a low charge voltage of 1.87 V at 10 mA cm under light irradiation, with exceptional cycle stability maintaining stable performance for 1000 h at a current density of 10 mA cm.
  • The research demonstrated the importance of strong electronic interactions between M-TiO/HEAs heterojunctions, enhancing oxygen evolution reaction activity under light irradiation.
  • This breakthrough provides valuable insights into the rapid fabrication of photoelectrocatalysts, offering new perspectives for developing light-enhanced energy storage systems.

Statistics:

  • The synthesized M-TiO/HEAs exhibited exceptional performance, achieving a charge voltage of 1.87 V at 10 mA cm under light irradiation.
  • The batteries showed exceptional cycle stability, maintaining stable performance for 1000 h.
  • The local temperature achieved under laser irradiation reached up to 2800 K, with ultra-fast heating and cooling rates.

Sources:

  • Nanosecond Laser Synthesis of MXene-Derived TiO2/High-Entropy Alloys for Photo-Assisted Zinc-Air Batteries. Advanced Materials. 2025.
  • Xiongwei Zhong, Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering and SUSTech Energy Institute for Carbon Neutrality, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen, 518055, People's Republic of China.
  • VerticalNews. "Photo-Assisted Zinc-Air Batteries Get Boost from National Natural Science Foundation of China." VerticalNews, July 4, 2025.
  • NewsRx LLC. "Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) Reports Findings in Science (Nanosecond Laser Synthesis of MXene-Derived TiO2/High-Entropy Alloys for Photo-Assisted Zinc-Air Batteries)." Chemicals & Chemistry. July 4, 2025; p 3095.

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