Researchers Build Photo-Assisted Zn-Ion Storage To Boost ESS Capacity

Researchers from the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), have developed a photo-assisted self-chargeable energy storage device. CeNS is an autonomous institution under the Department of Science and Technology (DST) in Bengaluru, India developed this devise to enhance the charge storage capacity in the presence of light. It can charge by its own in the presence of oxygen from the atmosphere.

A team led by Ashutosh Kumar Singh presented their study on these smart energy storage devices, titled “Photo-assisted self-chargeable aqueous Zn-ion energy storage device.” This work published in the Chemical Engineering Journal explores the integration of photo-assisted and self-chargeable features into zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs), utilizing vanadium oxide (VO2) and tungsten trioxide (WO3) as the primary cathode material.

Researchers have unveiled a novel air-chargeable battery for a sustainable power solution. This technology traps the oxygen from the environment to drive the charging process for energy storage and is a step towards a carbon-neutral future.

A photo-assisted battery offers great promise by combining the best of two worlds– the light-capturing capability of solar cells and the robust energy storage of conventional batteries. Generally, solar panels convert sunlight into electricity. However, they rely on separate battery systems to store the energy for later use. In contrast, photo-assisted batteries merge these functions into a single device, creating a seamless synergy between solar energy conversion and storage.

Photo-Assisted Battery

Photo-assisted batteries enhance the capacity of the batteries in the presence of light. But, it needs an external power supply to charge the battery. To overcome this limitation, there is an urgent requirement to develop energy storage devices with self-rechargeability. Recent research has explored the “air-assisted self-charging” concept of aqueous ZIBs, aiming to utilize oxygen from the air to replenish the charge of the battery.

This work introduces a novel approach utilizing VO2 as an active material, blended with WO3 as a charge-separating layer, to design a photoelectrode for air-photo-assisted self-charged zinc ion energy storage. In addition, this work reports the utilization of WO3 as a charge-separating layer in a photo-assisted self-chargeable energy storage device for the first time. The device shows a significant increment in the charge storage capacity (170%) at a constant current density of 0.02 mA/cm2. Additionally, the VO2 layer works as an air cathode electrode that can help air-assisted self-charging. It demonstrates an open circuit potential (OCP) of 1 V. This shows the superiority of photo-assisted self-charged energy storage performance.

The findings pave the way for integrating these devices into self-reliable electronics, potentially powered by renewable energy sources. This marks a major step forward in the pursuit of sustainable energy solutions and demonstrates the practical utility of energy storage devices in modern technology.