Associate Professor Bin Luo at the University of Queensland’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) is developing advanced flow batteries that store renewable energy while capturing carbon dioxide.
These “breathing batteries” use liquid electrolytes to absorb CO2, converting it into usable products through electrochemical reactions.
Flow batteries store energy in liquid electrolytes rather than solid electrodes, enabling scalable, long-duration storage suitable for grid applications.
Dr Luo’s team designs functional materials with optimised microstructures and interfaces for cost-effective, efficient, and durable batteries.
“At AIBN, we have full access to facilities, including the Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis (CMM), the Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF-Q), to design electrocatalysts and innovative flow battery systems to improve energy efficiency and stability,” said Dr Luo.
The research emphasises sustainable solutions like redox flow and sodium batteries, using abundant elements such as zinc and sodium.
“We are now designing batteries that can be reused, recycled, or made from renewable or abundant elements, like zinc and sodium, and focusing on batteries that can store large amounts of energy for long periods of time which can integrate with renewable energy production,” Dr Luo said.
“And our overarching goal is environmentally responsible manufacturing so we can reduce the environmental footprint of battery production.”
The project recently received $125,000 from the Queensland-Chinese Academy of Sciences Collaborative Science Fund, supporting partnerships in environmental sciences and related fields.
Dr Luo is collaborating with China’s National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST) on hybrid zinc-CO2 batteries featuring a zinc metal anode and cathode, aqueous electrolytes, and CO2 utilisation.
“This project has the potential to contribute meaningfully to Queensland’s and China’s carbon goals, while also opening new opportunities for manufacturing industries,” said Dr Luo.
“This collaboration strengthens our efforts in advancing this technology by leveraging our expertise in flow battery design and electrochemical systems and fostering innovation across both teams,” he added.
“I look forward to combining our complementary expertise to allow us to make significant progress in developing advanced energy and carbon capture technologies.
“Together, we aim to develop scalable, sustainable technologies for energy storage and carbon conversion that address global environmental and industrial challenges.”
Dr Luo has partnered with Australian firms, including Energy Storage Industries-Asia Pacific, Livium Ltd, Graphinex, Pure Battery Technologies, and Australian Technology Energy Systems Pty Ltd (formerly Redflow).
“These partnerships are essential for translating our research into tangible outcomes for the clean energy sector,” said Dr Luo.
“Together we can use real operating conditions to develop manufacturing capabilities and validate key components.”
Flow batteries offer advantages over lithium-ion types, being cheaper, safer, and more scalable by enlarging electrolyte tanks.
