JNCASR, Hindustan Zinc Partner To Develop Indigenous Zinc-ion Battery Tech For Affordable, Scalable Energy Storage

The Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), has signed an agreement with Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL) to propel the development of indigenous zinc-ion battery technologies.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Bengaluru-based JNCASR and HZL was signed on Wednesday (21 August).

The collaboration will focus on developing new variants of zinc materials, essential for enhancing the performance and commercial viability of zinc-ion batteries.

Zinc, while abundant and cost-effective, presents challenges in its application due to its thermodynamic instability with water-based solutions.

The partnership aims to address these challenges through material innovations at the electrode, electrolyte, and interface levels.

Professor Premkumar Senguttuvan’s research group at JNCASR has laid a robust foundation in zinc-based battery research.

The group's state-of-the-art battery characterisation facility, funded by DST, has produced significant advancements, attracting the interest of industry leaders such as Hindustan Zinc.

This collaboration will leverage JNCASR's research expertise and Hindustan Zinc’s product innovation capabilities to explore the development of new zinc alloys for use as anodes in zinc-ion batteries and electrolytes for their application in rechargeable batteries.

In a statement, the Science and Technology Ministry said that Senguttuvan plans to modulate the structure and chemical compositions of alloys and electrolytes from the atomic level to the device level, aiming to resolve existing material issues.

A key outcome of this research could be a modified electrolyte that significantly enhances the lifespan and safety of zinc-ion batteries.

The JNCASR team also intends to demonstrate the scalability of zinc-ion pouch batteries for large-scale commercial applications.

Zinc-ion batteries are seen as a promising alternative to the more expensive and imported lithium-ion batteries currently dominating the market.

Due to the low cost and abundance of raw materials, zinc-based batteries are positioned to offer a safer and more reliable option for large-scale energy storage.

With ongoing advancements in material stability and performance, zinc-ion batteries have the potential to revolutionise the energy storage sector.

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