If lithium-ion batteries were a person, they’d be the flashy overachiever who shows up everywhere, does everything, and occasionally sets the kitchen on fire. Oxygen-ion batteries are the opposite: quiet, heat-loving, and designed for the unglamorous job of keeping the lights on when wind and solar go on a tea break.
Back in 2023, researchers at TU Wien (Vienna University of Technology) revealed a prototype oxygen-ion battery built from non-flammable ceramic materials, aiming for extreme longevity and avoiding critical minerals such as lithium and cobalt. Today, the story gained real traction. TU Wien opened a dedicated research lab –– backed by Austrian utility Verbund –– positioning oxygen-ion batteries for stationary storage (roughly 4 to 12 hours) that helps stabilise renewable-heavy grids.
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What is an Oxygen-Ion Battery, in Plain English?
An oxygen-ion battery stores energy by moving oxide ions through a solid ceramic electrolyte, shifting oxygen content between two ceramic electrodes. Apply voltage one way and you “charge” it; reverse it and you “discharge” it –– conceptually similar to how lithium-ion cells shuttle lithium, but using oxygen ions in ceramics instead.
No Expensive Components
This novel family of batteries employs ceramic materials and doesn’t need precious or costly minerals such as cobalt or nickel. Tobias Huber, professor at TU Wien, noted, “The use of ceramic materials is a great advantage because they can be adapted very well.” Instead of pricey components, this version uses lanthanum, one of the more common rare-earth elements, which has many applications in industry and technology. But scientists are working on a cheaper replacement.
How Do Oxygen-Ion Batteries Work?
After charging the battery, oxygen ions move from one ceramic electrode to another and can also migrate back, hence generating electricity.
Professor Jürgen Fleig said, “The basic principle is actually very similar to the lithium-ion battery. But our materials have some important advantages.”
If oxygen is lost due to side reactions, it can be replaced with oxygen from the ambient air. So it guaranteed that oxygen-ion batteries could, in essence, last forever.
“Ceramics are not flammable, so fire accidents, which occur time and again with Li-ion batteries, are practically ruled out.”
But… There’s Always A But
Oxygen-ion batteries need high operating temperatures so oxide ions become mobile –– TU Wien’s puts operation around 300-500 degrees Celsius. This means that they are impractical for many devices, including cars.
What about energy density? TU Wien has said the oxygen-ion achieves about a third of the energy density of lithium-ion batteries, making it a poor fit for weight and volume sensitive applications.
However, they make sense for power storage, above all for solar and wind generation. In this scenario, intense heat and low energy density are not disadvantages. Producing large quantities of these low-cost, long-life batteries with no fire hazard compensates for their shortcomings.
If you want to be fair (and you do), you should acknowledge oxygen-ion isn’t the only contender to dethrone lithium-ion batteries. For instance, Texas A&M University has been working on a water-powered battery, while the Illinois Institute of Technology, along with the US Department of Energy, with a lithium-air one. Also, sodium-ion batteries are already pushing into real EV markets because sodium is abundant and costs can be lower, even if density is lower than lithium. Reuters has reported both U.S. and Chinese momentum here, including plans for large-scale manufacturing. At the same time, solid-state lithium batteries keep generating big claims.
So, the right framing is not “oxygen-ion will replace lithium-ion.” It’s: oxygen-ion could become a specialist technology for grid storage. The progress of this technology, along with others in this field, is proof that many research institutions are working hard to find more sustainable ways to produce and store energy. These advancements will not only contribute to reducing our reliance on fossil fuels but also help mitigate the environmental impacts associated with energy production and consumption. In time, these collective efforts will ultimately benefit both our planet and future generations.
