A revolutionary 3D-printed battery, developed by scientists at Queen's University Belfast (QUB), could catapult the UK towards its net zero emissions goal. This game-changing flow battery uses readily available iron instead of expensive vanadium – a breakthrough that's set to transform the renewable energy storage landscape.
Flow batteries are crucial for scaling up renewable energy infrastructure, enabling power from intermittent sources like wind and solar to be stored and released when needed. But traditional flow batteries have been held back by their high cost and reliance on vanadium, sourced mainly from a few locations worldwide. The QUB team's iron-based alternative tackles these challenges head-on.
The discovery began with post-doctoral researcher Dr Hugh O'Connor, who experimented with 3D printing battery designs after finding commercial options too expensive for his PhD research. Through trial and error, he refined a design that proved highly effective. Recognising the common challenge of inconsistent research standards and costly equipment faced by international colleagues, Dr O'Connor and his supervisor decided to distribute the design freely, rather than commercialise it.
The QUB-designed battery cell costs approximately £74 to produce and consists of around ten components, including 3D-printed liquid flow channels, a membrane, gaskets, electrodes, and current collectors. To facilitate its adoption, the team has provided a detailed 'Ikea-style' instruction manual to assist research institutions worldwide in assembling the device.
Dr Josh Bailey, an Illuminate Fellow at QUB's School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, is leading studies involving multiple international institutions using Dr O'Connor's affordable cell. He stresses that standardising equipment will lead to more robust evidence and faster deployment of flow battery technology – a crucial step towards meeting the UK's 2050 net zero targets.