Researchers at the City University of Hong Kong and the Southern University of Science and Technology have unveiled a water‑based battery that uses tofu brine as a key component.
The team describes the design as an “organic” electrode system paired with neutral, non‑toxic electrolytes. In their words, “Compared with current aqueous battery systems … our system delivers exceptional long-term cycling stability and environmental friendliness under neutral conditions.”
According to the study, the tofu‑brine battery can exceed 120,000 charge cycles while remaining as safe as saltwater. The researchers add, “Such performance highlights the research potential of this work and underscores its promise for practical application.” Because the chemistry is neither acidic nor flammable, it offers a contrast to lithium‑ion technology, which is known for its fire risk and relatively limited lifespan.
Lithium‑ion cells, widely used in consumer electronics and electric vehicles, typically manage between 1,000 and 3,000 cycles and can degrade significantly over time. Water‑based batteries, by comparison, are inherently non‑flammable and far easier to handle at end‑of‑life, though they have historically struggled with durability due to water breakdown at higher voltages.
The new tofu‑brine design appears to overcome this barrier. With more than 100,000 cycles, such a battery could operate for a decade or longer, making it particularly attractive for grid‑scale storage, including solar and wind balancing. This is the type of application the researchers are targeting. The full study is available in the journal Nature Communications.
