A team from the Institute of Metal Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed an alkaline all-iron flow battery that can run through more than 6,000 cycles without measurable capacity decay.
The researchers redesigned the molecular structure of the negative electrolyte used inside the system to address stability problems that limit long-term use.
Testing showed the battery running at 80 mA·cm⁻² for more than 6,000 cycles with no capacity decay and an average coulombic efficiency of 99.4%.
The technology uses water-based electrolytes instead of flammable liquids found in lithium-ion systems, removing the conditions needed for thermal runaway.
Large-scale energy storage remains one of the major technical challenges tied to renewable energy expansion, and this research improves stability in iron-based electrolytes.