Overview
- Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Metal Research reported a lab prototype that ran for more than 6,000 charge–discharge cycles with no capacity fade and no by‑product buildup.
- The group says a newly engineered iron complex uses a bulky structure and a strong negative charge to shield the iron center and keep active material from leaking through the membrane.
- Performance details reported in coverage include 99.4% leak‑proof efficiency, stable structure across all cycles, and 78.5% energy efficiency at high power, which together suggest endurance equal to roughly 16 years of daily use.
- The work targets grid storage because flow batteries hold energy in liquid tanks that use non‑flammable, water‑based electrolytes, and iron is abundant and far cheaper than lithium, though the widely cited “80 times cheaper” claim lacks a clear cost breakdown.
- Independent validation, peer review and replication, membrane and system durability testing, and scaling to full cells and plants remain open steps before any commercial impact is clear.