Monash engineers have unveiled a breakthrough catalyst that could supercharge next-generation batteries, offering more power, longer life and lower costs. Image Credit: Monash UniversityWhile zinc-air batteries are currently used in small devices like hearing aids, this opens the door to rechargeable, high-power applications, moving the technology closer to real-world, grid-scale and transport uses. “By engineering cobalt and iron as individual atoms on a carbon framework, we achieved record-breaking performance in zinc-air batteries, showing what is possible when catalysts are designed with atomic precision,” Mr Askari said. “Running a rechargeable zinc-air battery continuously for more than two months is a milestone for the field. “These catalysts not only solve a key bottleneck for zinc-air batteries, but their design principles can be applied across the energy landscape – from fuel cells to water splitting – offering broad impact for clean energy.”