Researchers at Northwestern University have redefined battery technology by converting waste material into an efficient and stable energy storage solution.
The batteries powering our phones, devices, and cars rely heavily on metals like lithium and cobalt, which are extracted through intensive and environmentally harmful mining practices. As the demand for battery-based energy storage grows, finding alternatives to these metal-based solutions is essential for advancing the green energy transition.
Researchers at Northwestern University have achieved a breakthrough by converting an industrial waste product into a highly efficient energy storage material. This organic waste, known as triphenylphosphine oxide (TPPO), has been repurposed for use in redox flow batteries — a type of battery designed for large-scale energy storage. While redox flow batteries have been widely studied and developed, this marks the first time TPPO has been utilized, offering a promising step toward sustainable and scalable battery technology.
Thousands of tons of the well-known chemical byproduct are produced each year by many organic industrial synthesis processes — including the production of some vitamins, among other things — but it is rendered useless and must be carefully discarded following production.
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