'Nearly 80 times cheaper than lithium': China is working on ultra affordable iron battery that can run 16 years without degrading — using one of the most abundant elements on Earth to store power and a water-based electrolyte system that cannot explode
This could be a solution to the world's growing energy storage needs
by https://www.techradar.com/uk/author/wayne-williams · TechRadarNews By Wayne Williams published 1 May 2026
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- Iron flow battery runs 6,000 cycles without measurable capacity loss
- New electrolyte chemistry reduces degradation and membrane crossover problems
- Iron materials offer low-cost alternative for large-scale renewable energy storage
Researchers in China say they have made new progress on iron-based flow batteries that could reduce the cost of storing renewable energy while extending usable lifespan.
The team from the Institute of Metal Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences developed a redesigned electrolyte that allowed an alkaline all-iron flow battery to run through more than 6,000 cycles without measurable capacity decay, according to results published in Advanced Energy Materials.
Iron flow batteries have been studied for years but have struggled with stability problems that limit long-term use. Active materials inside the battery tend to degrade or leak through membranes, reducing efficiency and shortening lifespan.
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Iron is 80x cheaper than lithium
The researchers addressed those limits by redesigning the molecular structure of the negative electrolyte used inside the system.
The team synthesized 11 iron complexes built from 12 organic ligands before identifying a compound known as [Fe(HPF)BHS]⁴⁻ as the most stable candidate.
Its bulky structure creates physical protection around the iron center, while negatively charged groups help prevent unwanted reactions and reduce material crossover across the membrane.
Testing showed the battery running at 80 mA·cm⁻² for more than 6,000 cycles with no capacity decay and an average coulombic efficiency of 99.4%, based on performance data released by the research team.
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