A collaborative team of scientists from Stony Brook University and Brookhaven National Laboratory has employed artificial intelligence to gain insights into the functioning of zinc-ion batteries, with the aim of enhancing their efficiency for future energy storage applications.
The research, published in PRX Energy, concentrated on the water-based electrolyte responsible for transporting electrically charged zinc ions within rechargeable batteries during both charging and discharging phases. The AI model explored how these ions interact with water at various concentrations of zinc chloride (ZnCl2), a highly soluble salt.
The findings, corroborated by experiments conducted at Brookhaven Lab’s National Synchrotron Light Source II, revealed that higher salt concentrations lead to improved battery performance.
“AI is an important tool that can facilitate the advancement of science,” stated Esther Takeuchi, chair of the Interdisciplinary Science Department at Brookhaven Lab and a distinguished professor at Stony Brook. “The research done by this team provides an example of the insights that can be gained by combining experiment and theory enhanced by the use of AI.”
Amy Marschilok, manager of the Energy Storage Division at ISD and a chemistry professor at SBU, noted, “This work could help advance the development of robust zinc-ion batteries for large-scale energy storage. These batteries are particularly attractive for resilient energy applications because the water-based electrolyte is inherently safe and the materials used to make them are abundant and affordable.”
Marschilok emphasized the significance of integrating theory with experimentation and acknowledged contributions from SBU graduate students who were instrumental in sample preparation, conducting experiments, and data analysis.
“Working hand in hand with these graduate students and all the scientists at Brookhaven gave us a great opportunity to get the best quality of experimental data and analysis — and to train the next generation workforce in using these advanced techniques,” she added.
The project received funding from the DOE Office of Science and the National Science Foundation. The research involved scientists from CFN, CDS, ISD, Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Department, NSLS-II as well as departments within Stony Brook University including Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, along with Princeton University and Temple University contributors.
For further details on this study visit BNL's website.