CSIR-IICT develops eco-friendly rechargeable battery

The Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad, a unit of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), has developed a rechargeable magnesium battery with natural graphite, which is suitable for stationary devices like UPS and inverters.

The novel battery could be an efficient substitute to the lead-acid battery used commonly at present.

The technology for a rechargeable magnesium battery is not available for commercialisation in any part of the world, the IICT claimed.

The novel, cost effective and safe battery has been developed by J Vatsala Rani and her team of the Flouro-organics Division of the laboratory. The eco-friendly materials used in the battery are magnesium (anode), modified natural graphite (cathode) and ionic liquid electrolyte, which are safe and easily available, she said.

The IICT scientists are working to further increase the capacity of the battery and its shelf-life, which is estimated at present to be 2-3 years.

The materials used in the electrode are both reusable and biodegradable.

The magnesium battery in the present form is ideal for applications where weight is not a constraint, like vehicles and stationary applications like UPS, inverters and lighting up homes in rural areas, etc. Going ahead, more refinement could lead to its use in mobile devices as well as give a stiff competition to lithium-ion batteries, says Vatsala Rani.

She claimed the technology was a breakthrough. At present, there are many primary magnesium batteries, which are `use and throw' types. "Our battery has a capacity of 5 milli-ampere/hour and can be used up to 800-900 times on recharging. Magnesium is also abundantly available and graphite is cheap," she said.

Another big plus for the battery is it can potentially substitute the widely used lead-acid battery, which has toxic material and sulphuric acid, which is not eco-friendly.

The researchers published their work in the Journal of Electrochemical Society recently.