Safer, Less Expensive, Fast-Charging Aqueous Battery

Lithium-ion batteries are critical for modern life, powering laptops, cellphones, and other devices; however, there is a safety risk — the batteries can catch fire. Zinc-based aqueous batteries avoid the fire hazard by using a water-based electrolyte instead of the conventional chemical solvent. But uncontrolled dendrite growth limits their ability to provide the high performance and long life needed for practical applications.