New Coordination Polymer Boosts Aqueous Battery Durability
Researchers have demonstrated a copper-nickel polymer that sustains high charge capacity through 8,000 cycles.
Updated on Oct. 8, 2026 in Energy
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Researchers have developed a CuNi(CN) coordination polymer for aqueous proton batteries that retains 80% of its capacity over 8,000 cycles. The finding represents a research-stage advance in materials science for grid-relevant energy storage.
Why it matters
This material provides a viable route for grid-scale energy storage in acidic electrolytes, addressing critical durability limitations in current aqueous battery designs. The development offers a pathway for high-rate, long-cycle energy storage solutions.
The CuNi(CN) material delivered 130 mAh/g at 1 A/g, while the full cell retained 80% capacity over 8,000 cycles at high rates. Testing showed 92% capacity retention and 98% Coulombic efficiency after 2,000 cycles at 8 A/g.
The details
The material enables dual-metal charge storage through multisite proton-coupled electron transfer, a process where protons and electrons are moved simultaneously to facilitate energy storage. This coordination polymer—a structure of metal ions linked by organic ligands to form repeating chains—supports a topochemical proton-storage mechanism, which allows for rapid movement of protons through the material lattice. These features allow the battery to maintain structural integrity while cycling in acidic electrolytes.
Timeline
October 8, 2026: Research findings were published in a peer-reviewed journal.
The Tech Race
This development contributes to the competitive race for grid-scale energy storage materials capable of replacing volatile organic electrolytes. It follows the trajectory of current research focused on high-rate, aqueous proton-storage systems.
This research remains at the laboratory stage and is not yet available for commercial use. Future iterations will need to demonstrate that this material can be manufactured at scale for use in utility-grade power grid storage systems.
The takeaway
The study demonstrates that multisite proton-coupled electron transfer can yield durable, high-rate aqueous batteries. Observers should track subsequent research for reports on material scalability and cost-benchmarks against lithium-ion standards.
Further reading
Explore the latest technical advancements in our Energy section.
More information
Review the technical findings in the Nature peer-reviewed research article.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Nature.
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