this post was submitted on 28 Apr 2026
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China develops iron battery 80 times cheaper than lithium that can last 16 years. It provides a budget-friendly, high-endurance answer for the world’s massive energy storage needs. (interestingengineering.com)
submitted 4 days ago by HaraldvonBlauzahn@feddit.org to c/technology@slrpnk.net
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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/46526992

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2095495622003485

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[–] boonhet@sopuli.xyz 13 points 4 days ago (2 children)

All-iron flow batteries hold immense potential due to their use of cheap, abundant iron and safe, water-based electrolytes.

So it's a rust battery? Because that's what happens when iron gets watery. It rusts.

I mean if it works, that's great, I just find it funny.

[–] simbico@lemmy.zip 25 points 4 days ago (2 children)

This is getting out of hand, now they are refactoring batteries to use Rust too

[–] slazer2au@lemmy.world 12 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Rust is designed to work at the hardware level.

[–] zergtoshi@lemmy.world 6 points 4 days ago (1 children)

And Rust is both secure and efficient, am I right?

[–] khannie@lemmy.world 3 points 4 days ago

No leaks either!

[–] budget_biochemist@slrpnk.net 1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Nickel-Iron rechargable batteries have been around for over 125 years, and are sometimes called "Edison batteries" because they were produced by Thomas Edison's battery company.

The active material of the negative plates is iron oxide (i.e. rust). They could more accurately be called iron-oxide/nickel-hydride batteries.

They have some disadvantages especially for portability (liquid electrolyte and poor weight to charge ratio) and require regular topping up electrolyte like older models of car batteries. However, they are tolerant of frequent cycling, undercharging and overcharging, and can last 20-30 years in continuous use.