Aluminium-ion Battery | 17 Sep 2025

Source-PIB

The Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru,  have developed a flexible aqueous aluminum-ion battery as a safe and sustainable alternative to lithium-ion batteries commonly used in phones, laptops, electric vehicles, etc.

Aluminium-ion Battery

• Material Used: The battery uses aluminum, one of the most abundant and eco-friendly metals, combined with a water-based electrolyte, making it cheaper, non-explosive, and environmentally safe.
• Components: It consists of a copper hexacyanoferrate (CuHCFe) cathode     (Positive electrode) pre-filled with aluminum ions and a molybdenum trioxide (MoO₃) anode (negative electrode).
• Performance: The battery remains capable even after 150 charge–discharge cycles, and can continuously power devices while being folded.
  • It is designed to be flexible enough to bend or fold like paper without losing performance.
• Applications: Opens up avenues for flexible smartphones, wearable devices and safer electric vehicles.
  • This development positions India at the forefront of sustainable and next-generation energy storage solutions aligned with global climate and environmental goals.
• Challenges: Slow diffusion of Al³⁺ ions and potential structural collapse of materials like graphite limit cycle stability.
  • Aluminum anodes suffer from corrosion, which can impact the longevity of the battery.

Lithium-ion Battery 

• It is a rechargeable battery in which lithium ions travel between a negative electrode (graphite) and a positive electrode (Li transitional metal oxides) via a non-aqueous electrolyte during the charging and discharging process.
• It stores more energy in a compact form and offers longer cycles between charges.
• Unlike older lead-acid batteries, it is lighter and uses less toxic Li and carbon electrodes.