Dual Air Battery

Opportunity

Batteries are essential in daily life and industry, yet they face challenges of limited energy density and high safety risks. Metal-air batteries, with their open device configuration, allow the exchange of oxygen with the environment, enhancing energy density. This technology offers a promising solution for next-generation energy-storage systems by addressing these key issues. 

Technology

The dual air battery employs a “solute-in-air” electrolyte, comprising a metal anode, an oxygen gas cathode and a self-healing electrolyte. Oxygen and water are not stored in the battery but are accessed from the environment. This design ensures intrinsic safety issues through non-flammable components and high reliability via the self-healing properties of the electrolytes. These batteries are capable of continuing to discharge even after exposure to extreme temperatures, with primary batteries remaining functional after burning at 630^oC and the secondary batteries exhibiting self-healing after being heated to 400^oC. 

Figure 1: The advantages of dual air batteries.

Applications & Advantages

Main application areas include battery manufacturing for consumer electronics, energy-storage systems for industrial applications and electric-vehicle batteries. 

Advantages: 

• Utilises non-flammable components, ensuring safety
• Primary batteries can withstand burning at 630^oC and secondary batteries can tolerate up to 400^oC 
• Provides a highly reliable energy-storage solution