New nanofluid electrolyte and recycled carbon boost zinc-air battery performance for cheaper grid storage

Researchers at SASTRA Deemed University, supported by India's Department of Science and Technology, have developed a nanofluid electrolyte that suppresses corrosion and hydrogen gas in rechargeable zinc-air batteries. The innovation uses inexpensive silica and zinc oxide nanoparticles and has been granted an Indian patent. The team also created low-cost catalysts from earth-abundant materials like alpha-manganese dioxide, replacing expensive platinum and ruthenium. In addition, the researchers upcycled spent activated carbon from household water filters and discarded surgical face masks into high-performance battery electrodes. These waste-derived materials perform comparably to commercial benchmarks. The work targets two main barriers to zinc-air battery adoption: stability and cost. If scaled, these technologies could support safer, cheaper grid-scale energy storage and electric mobility, offering an alternative to lithium-ion systems.