Advanced Thin-film Battery Development

A zinc-water battery system for use in underwater environments is proposed, with an expected energy density significantly higher than lithium-ion batteries and slightly less than zinc-air batteries. The research proposed utilizes a concentrated electrolyte, which when combined with an outside water supply on a catalytic electrode surface acts as cathode of the zinc-water cell. The technology is low cost, completely flexible, thin, and scalable to any size and form factor. This proposal aims to demonstrate this system, and show that it can be used to free up payload capacity in unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) by utilizing the skin, dorsal fins, and tail of UUVs for high-capacity, flexible energy storage. The batteries are also useful for powering underwater sensors, as they are inherently environmentally friendly, and can be deployed in marine environments without risk of contamination.