Chinese scientists say new calcium-based battery offers ‘cheaper, safer’ alternative to lithium-ion cells

Fudan University team creates battery able to charge and discharge fully 700 times at room temperature, in a first for the calcium-based technology

With calcium 2,500 times more abundant than lithium, battery offers viable option with possibly comparable energy density, team says in Nature paper

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The calcium-oxygen battery is stable in air and can be made into flexible fibres to produce next-generation wearable systems, according to the scientists behind the feat. Photo: Fudan University

Published: 9:00pm, 12 Feb 2024

Chinese scientists say they have developed a rechargeable calcium-based battery that could offer a cheaper and more sustainable alternative to lithium technology.

The team also incorporated their calcium-oxygen device into fibres to create a flexible textile battery that could power a smartphone.

Made from a metal 2,500 times more abundant than lithium, their battery was able to stably charge and discharge completely 700 times at room temperature – a first for the calcium-based technology.

“[The battery could turn] calcium chemistry into a promising, sustainable energy-storage technology,” the team from China’s Fudan University said in a paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature.

Lithium-ion batteries are known for their high energy density – or energy storage capacity relative to weight or size – and are the most widely used worldwide.

However, ensuring a reliable supply of lithium is critical to expanding on sustainable industries like renewable energy storage and electric vehicles.

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