A team of engineers at Monash University has made a major breakthrough that could transform the future of clean energy storage.
By designing a new catalyst at the atomic level, they have dramatically improved the performance of zinc-air batteries, making them more powerful, longer-lasting, and much cheaper to produce.
Zinc-air batteries are already used in small devices like hearing aids, but until now they haven’t been practical for larger applications such as powering cars, storing renewable energy on the grid, or other heavy-duty uses.
The challenge has always been that the oxygen reactions inside the battery are too slow and inefficient, limiting its lifespan and power output.
The Monash team found a clever way to overcome this. They started with a 3D carbon material and used heat treatment to turn it into thin carbon sheets.
Then, they carefully placed single cobalt and iron atoms onto the surface. This unique combination created a catalyst that speeds up the oxygen reactions inside the battery, unlocking much higher performance than ever before.
Lead author Saeed Askari explained that the design beats the performance of commercial catalysts made from costly metals like platinum and ruthenium.
“By engineering cobalt and iron as individual atoms on a carbon framework, we achieved record-breaking performance in zinc-air batteries, showing what is possible when catalysts are designed with atomic precision,” he said.
The team’s computer simulations revealed why this works so well. The cobalt and iron atoms form tiny pairs that, together with nitrogen atoms in the carbon framework, improve the way charges move through the battery.
This makes the crucial oxygen reactions far more efficient, solving one of the biggest problems that has held zinc-air batteries back.
Dr. Parama Banerjee, another lead researcher, said the results go beyond just zinc-air batteries. “Running a rechargeable zinc-air battery continuously for more than two months is a milestone for the field. It demonstrates that this technology is ready to move beyond the laboratory and into practical applications,” she said.
Dr. Banerjee added that the same design principles could also help other clean energy technologies, such as fuel cells, water-splitting systems for producing hydrogen, and even devices that can convert carbon dioxide into useful fuels.
This discovery marks a turning point for zinc-air batteries, which are attractive because zinc is cheap, abundant, and safe compared to materials used in many other batteries.
By solving the efficiency bottleneck, Monash engineers have shown a clear path toward affordable, high-performance batteries that could one day power everything from cars and airplanes to large-scale renewable energy storage systems.
If scaled up, this breakthrough could play a vital role in creating a more sustainable and reliable energy future.
