What is a TU Wien battery?

A prototype of the battery at TU Wien. Credit: TU Wien Researchers at TU Wien (Vienna) have developed a groundbreaking oxygen-ion battery, which boasts exceptional durability, eliminates the need for rare elements, and solves the problem of fire hazards.

What are the advantages of a new battery technology?

Cobalt or nickel, which are used in many batteries, are not used at all. But perhaps the most important advantage of the new battery technology is its potential longevity: "In many batteries, you have the problem that at some point the charge carriers can no longer move," says Alexander Schmid.

Can ceramic materials be used to make a battery?

"That gave us the idea of investigating whether such materials might also be suitable for making a battery." The ceramic materials that the TU Wien team studied can absorb and release doubly negatively charged oxygen ions.

Can a new battery be used for a smartphone or electric car?

The new battery concept is not intended for smartphones or electric cars, because the oxygen-ion battery only achieves about a third of the energy density that one is used to from lithium-ion batteries and runs at temperatures between 200 and 400 °C. The technology is, however, extremely interesting for storing energy.

Are oxygen-ion batteries the future of energy storage?

The innovative battery concept has already led to a patent application, filed in collaboration with partners in Spain. These oxygen-ion batteries could provide an outstanding solution for large-scale energy storage systems, such as those required to hold electrical energy from renewable sources.

How does a ceramic battery work?

When an electric voltage is applied, the oxygen ions migrate from one ceramic material to another, after which they can be made to migrate back again, thus generating electric current. “The basic principle is actually very similar to the lithium-ion battery,” says Prof. Jürgen Fleig. “But our materials have some important advantages.”