Hanyang University Transfers Aqueous Zinc-Ion Battery Technology to TNP Solution

Hanyang University announced on the 21st that it has signed an agreement to transfer the 'Zinc Anode Protection Technology' necessary for the commercialization of aqueous zinc-ion batteries to TNP Solution.

(From left) Professor Hee-Dae Lim, Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University; Research Professor Chan-Hoon Kim, Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University; Young-Jong Kang, Director of Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, Hanyang University; Seong-Gu Kang, CEO of TNP Solution Co., Ltd.; Jae-Yong Heo, Vice President of TNP Solution Co., Ltd.; Sang-Jin Kim, Manager of TMP Solution Co., Ltd.

The 'Zinc Anode Protection Technology' was developed by Professor Kim Chan-hoon of the Department of Chemical Engineering and is scheduled to be applied to mass production processes in the first half of next year.

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries are safer than lithium-ion batteries as they do not pose a fire risk, and their raw material costs are about one-third of those of lithium secondary batteries, making them a battery attracting attention as a secondary battery for ESS (Energy Storage Systems).

However, during charging, dendrites form on the surface of the zinc anode, causing operation to stop or the battery to swell due to gas generation.

Professor Kim Chan-hoon's team developed a technology that modifies commercial polymers in a simple way to form a uniform functional polymer protective film with a thickness of several micrometers on the large-area zinc anode surface.

This protective film effectively suppresses dendrite accumulation and hydrogen generation, solving the issues of battery operation stoppage and hydrogen gas safety.

The research team transferred this technology to the private company TNP Solution. TNP Solution started manufacturing and selling communication equipment in May 2019 and has grown into a company specializing in energy and safety solutions.

Based on this technology, TNP Solution plans to optimize the process and fully apply the zinc anode protection technology to the aqueous zinc-ion battery production process in the first half of next year.

Professor Kim Chan-hoon, who developed the technology, said, "Although many technologies related to non-lithium next-generation batteries have been announced, technology transfer to private companies is rare," adding, "Starting with this technology transfer, we will do our best to cooperate with TNP Solution for the early commercialization of aqueous zinc-ion batteries."