Battery Technology China's First Hybrid-Ion Battery Successfully Supplies Electricity

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Chinese researchers have developed a hybrid-ion battery for the first time. Until now, this type of battery only existed as a theoretical concept. A first prototype has now been built at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, which has already successfully supplied electricity.

In China, researchers have developed a hybrid ion battery for the first time. In this novel battery, hydrogen ions (H⁻) act as charge carriers instead of lithium ions. Hydride ions have the highest electron density of all forms of hydrogen and are therefore powerful energy carriers. The researchers published the first test results of their prototype on September 17 in the journal Nature.

Battery Operates with Solid Electrolyte

The battery operates with a solid electrolyte. It consists of a novel composite hydride. For this, cerium trihydride (CeH₃) is coated with an ultra-thin layer of barium hydride (BaH₂). The latter has a very low electronic conductivity, significantly impeding the flow of electrons.

This material can transmit hydride ions very quickly at room temperature. It also has high thermal and electrochemical stability. The active materials are sodium alanate (NaAlH₄) at the positive pole and low-hydrogen cerium dihydride (CeH₂) at the negative pole. Sodium alanate is a classic hydrogen storage material that has played a role in energy research for years.

The reactions take place at room temperature, so no special temperature control is required.

• During discharge, hydride ions migrate through the electrolyte from the negative to the positive pole. The cerium dihydride (CeH₂) at the negative pole absorbs a hydride ion and becomes cerium trihydride (CeH₃). At the same time, the ions attach to the sodium alanate (NaAlH₄) at the positive pole.
• During the charging process, the processes are then reversed. CeH₃ releases a hydride ion and converts back into CeH₂, while the sodium alanate releases hydride ions again. The solid-state electrolyte prevents a direct electron flow between the poles, allowing only the hydride ions to pass through the interior of the battery.

The experiment demonstrated that the hydride-ion battery can function as a power source for electronic devices.

Quote from the Chinese Newspaper Science and Technology Daily

New Battery Type Lights Up Small LED

According to the article in Nature, the prototype of the battery shows promising performance metrics. The initial capacity at the positive pole reached 984 milliampere-hours per gram. After 20 charge and discharge cycles, 402 milliampere-hours per gram were still usable.

By connecting two cells in series, a voltage of around 1.9 volts was generated. This allowed the scientists to light up a small LED. "The experiment demonstrated that the hydride-ion battery can function as a power source for electronic devices," wrote the Chinese newspaper Science and Technology Daily.

Completely New Technological Route for Energy Storage

In an interview with the Chinese science newspaper Keji Ribao, the head of the research team discussed future applications. "The hydride ion battery is a completely new technological route for energy storage, with potential applications in large-scale storage, hydrogen storage, mobile energy sources, and various specialized applications," said Chen Ping.

"The result marks the transition of the hydride-ion battery from concept to experimental verification," commented the Chinese business newspaper Jingji Ribao.

Further Increase Stability, Cycle Durability, and Lifespan

However, many improvements will still be necessary before the new battery technology becomes industrially viable, the scientists themselves say. In the tests so far, the capacity already decreased significantly after a few cycles, indicating that stability and cycle durability must be further improved.

The lifespan should also be further extended. Since only a laboratory prototype exists so far, the scientists plan to refine the key materials further in their ongoing work on the battery. They are confident that the performance of the hydride-ion battery can be improved as a result.

The hydride-ion battery opens up new perspectives that classic lithium systems do not offer.

Quote from the Chinese Newspaper Science and Technology Daily

Hydride-Ion Batteries as Energy Storage for Renewable Energies

In China's specialist media, a debate has already begun about which applications hydride-ion batteries are particularly suitable for. They could be used for the grid operation of renewable energies, where large storage systems are intended to balance the fluctuating power generation from wind and solar, several analysts write.

They could also serve as a complementary technology in integrated hydrogen systems because hydride ions are also considered a form of chemical hydrogen storage, other experts write.

Portable power sources and specialized devices with hydride-ion batteries are also conceivable for mobile applications because they meet the high demands for energy density and safety. Scenarios in aerospace and defense are being discussed.

"The hydride-ion battery opens up new perspectives that classic lithium systems do not offer," writes the Chinese science newspaper.

China Shines with Technological Breakthroughs

The fact that the development of a hydride-ion battery was first achieved in China can no longer really be considered a surprise. The country's material scientists have recently shone with a series of technological breakthroughs.

Some examples of Chinese innovations in the battery sector:

• A micro-nuclear battery based on the mildly radioactive carbon isotope C-14 promises a lifespan of up to 100 years.
• Chinese companies like BYD are massively investing in battery research and are making rapid progress, for example, in solid-state batteries with sulfide electrolytes.
• The first energy storage system with sodium-ion battery technology has also already been put into operation.

Each of these approaches has its own advantages and requires certain compromises, but they all share the goal of finding alternatives to the classic lithium-ion battery. In the long term, this is intended to make energy storage more efficient and safer, further advancing China's energy transition and reducing the country's dependence on imported raw materials such as oil or gas.

Overall, these developments show that China is relying on a mix of new storage methods. The new hydride-ion battery expands this spectrum.