Professor Lifeng Dong, the Emma K. and Carl R. N. Malmstrom Endowed Chair in Physics, is collaborating with researchers at Qingdao University of Science and Technology in China to develop next-generation zinc–air batteries with improved energy efficiency, durability, and performance. Two recent studies, published in the prestigious journals Advanced Functional Materials (Impact Factor: 19.9) and Journal of Energy Storage (Impact Factor: 10.7), highlight significant advances in sustainable energy storage technologies.
The first study, “Photoinduced Interfacial Electronic Modulation in Fe₂O₃–BiVO₄ Heterostructures for Enhanced Photo-Assisted Zn-Air Batteries,” published in Advanced Functional Materials, explores how solar energy can be integrated into zinc–air batteries to improve their performance. By developing innovative light-responsive nanomaterials, the research team demonstrated enhanced battery power output, energy storage capacity, and cycling stability under illumination. This approach offers a promising strategy for combining solar energy conversion with efficient electrochemical energy storage.
The second study, “Chloride-driven construction of Zn-N/Cl and Co-N/Cl/Co-Co dual active sites in hollow porous carbon nanofibers for durable zinc-air batteries,” published in Journal of Energy Storage, introduces advanced nanostructured catalysts that improve battery efficiency and durability. The newly developed materials enabled rechargeable zinc–air batteries to operate stably for more than 2,000 hours and demonstrated promising performance in flexible battery configurations, supporting potential applications in wearable electronics.
Unlike conventional lithium-ion batteries, which commonly rely on lithium and other critical metals, zinc–air batteries use abundant, low-cost zinc and oxygen from the surrounding air. Their potential advantages include high energy density, improved safety, lower material costs, and reduced environmental impact, making them promising candidates for renewable energy storage and next-generation portable and wearable electronics.
At Hamline, Professor Dong works closely with research collaborators and undergraduate students to design, synthesize, and characterize nanoscale materials and devices for energy conversion, storage, and environmental applications. His research encompasses solar cells, fuel cells, supercapacitors, batteries, water purification, and desalination.
Learn more about these projects through the Hamline University Renewable Energy and Environmental Research (REER) Laboratory.