Brisbane researchers are advancing manufacturing technologies for a novel “breathing” battery that stores renewable energy while capturing carbon dioxide, offering potential solutions to two major industrial challenges.
The work is being led by Associate Professor Bin Luo at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), as revealed in a news release.
Dr Luo is developing advanced flow batteries, which store energy in liquid electrolytes rather than solid electrodes.
The batteries, described as “breathing” due to their ability to absorb carbon dioxide and convert it into usable products via electrochemical reactions, aim to improve energy efficiency, durability, and cost-effectiveness in large-scale energy storage.
“At AIBN, we have full access to facilities, including the Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis and the Australian National Fabrication Facility, to design electrocatalysts and innovative flow battery systems to improve energy efficiency and stability,” Dr Luo said.
The research focuses on environmentally responsible manufacturing, developing batteries that can be reused, recycled, or made from abundant elements such as zinc and sodium.
The team is also working to integrate these systems with renewable energy production for long-term energy storage.
Dr Luo’s project has received $125,000 from the Queensland-Chinese Academy of Sciences Collaborative Science Fund, which supports joint research addressing environmental, agricultural, and health challenges.
The collaboration includes China’s National Center for Nanoscience and Technology to develop hybrid zinc-CO2 batteries.
“This project has the potential to contribute meaningfully to Queensland’s and China’s carbon goals, while also opening new opportunities for manufacturing industries,” Dr Luo said.
“Together, we aim to develop scalable, sustainable technologies for energy storage and carbon conversion that address global environmental and industrial challenges.”
Australian battery industry partners, including Energy Storage Industries-Asia Pacific, Livium Ltd, Graphinex, Pure Battery Technologies, and Australian Technology Energy Systems, are supporting the project by testing components under real operating conditions.
“These partnerships are essential for translating our research into tangible outcomes for the clean energy sector,” Dr Luo said.
