Researchers in South Korea have developed a new electrolyte additive that significantly improves the lifespan and capacity of aqueous batteries, a technology widely viewed as a safer and lower-cost alternative to lithium-ion batteries.

The team, led by Professor Hoseok Park from Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), found that adding a small amount of a specially designed zwitterionic material to the electrolyte helped overcome key problems that have long limited the commercialization of aqueous battery systems.

Unlike lithium-ion batteries, aqueous batteries use water-based electrolytes, making them less flammable, more environmentally friendly, and potentially cheaper to manufacture. However, their performance has been hindered by unstable zinc deposition and unwanted reactions between zinc electrodes and water during charging and discharging.

These issues can lead to corrosion, uneven metal buildup, and rapid capacity loss, reducing battery life and limiting large-scale deployment.

Tiny additive, big impact

To tackle the problem, the researchers developed a zwitterionic additive known as C10. Zwitterions contain both positive and negative charges within the same molecule, allowing them to interact with surrounding ions in unique ways.

When added to the electrolyte, C10 molecules spontaneously assembled into nanostructures measuring about 3.77 nanometers in diameter. These structures served two functions simultaneously.

First, they guided zinc ions to deposit more evenly across the electrode surface, reducing the formation of irregular zinc structures that can damage batteries. Second, they formed a thin protective layer over the zinc metal, shielding it from direct contact with water and limiting corrosion-causing side reactions.

The combined effect produced substantial performance gains.

Aqueous batteries using the modified electrolyte maintained stable operation for more than 2,800 hours. The cells also achieved an areal capacity of 8.10 mAh cm⁻², which the researchers describe as world-leading performance among aqueous battery systems reported to date.

“We have demonstrated that the performance of aqueous batteries can be substantially enhanced through a simple approach of adding a small amount of material to the electrolyte, without the need for expensive materials or complex fabrication processes.”

Storage systems targeted

Improving both cycle life and storage capacity has been a longstanding challenge for aqueous battery developers. Many previous approaches improved one metric at the expense of the other.

The new electrolyte strategy appears to address both issues simultaneously while avoiding costly manufacturing changes.

The researchers believe the technology could be useful for large-scale energy storage applications, where safety, cost, and durability are critical factors.

“Beyond renewable energy storage, this technology holds potential for application in large-scale energy storage systems (ESS) for AI infrastructure and data centers, which are experiencing explosive growth.”

Demand for energy storage is expected to rise alongside the expansion of renewable power generation and the rapid growth of AI computing infrastructure, both of which require reliable methods to store and distribute electricity.

Because the new approach relies on a simple electrolyte modification rather than redesigning the battery architecture, it may offer a practical path toward improving the commercial viability of aqueous battery systems.

The findings were published in the journal Nano-Micro Letters.

IQM Quantum Computers has developed a new quantum error-correcting code that it says can reduce logical error rates by up to 1,000 times compared with the widely used surface code while requiring up to eight times fewer physical qubits.

The company said the new approach, called barbell codes, could help address one of the biggest challenges facing quantum computing: correcting errors quickly enough to enable large-scale, fault-tolerant machines.

Quantum computers are highly sensitive to noise, which can introduce errors during calculations. To overcome this, researchers use quantum error correction, a process that spreads information across multiple physical qubits to create more reliable logical qubits. However, existing methods often require large numbers of qubits and increasingly complex hardware.

According to IQM, its new code aims to improve both efficiency and practicality by lowering error rates while reducing the number of physical qubits needed to protect quantum information.

Fewer qubits, fewer errors

The barbell code family was designed specifically for IQM’s Constellation processor architecture, which features enhanced connectivity between qubits. In the system, each qubit can directly interact with up to 12 neighboring qubits, compared with four in a conventional square-grid arrangement.

The company said the design allows high-performance error correction without requiring extensive additional hardware. Barbell codes rely on a single long coupler connection for every second qubit, reducing the need for multiple long-range crossing couplers that can complicate chip fabrication.

By taking advantage of the processor’s connectivity, the code can generate the entanglement needed for error correction while keeping hardware requirements comparatively low.

“We are pioneering the next chapter in quantum computing,” said Jan Goetz, CEO and Co-founder of IQM Quantum Computers.

“Our approach offers a highly competitive path to scalable quantum error correction with superconducting qubits, paving the way for large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers.”

The company said the approach is intended for real-world superconducting quantum processors rather than idealized laboratory systems, with an emphasis on manufacturability and scalability.

Building practical quantum

Error correction is widely considered one of the key hurdles preventing today’s quantum computers from tackling commercially valuable problems at scale. While advances in qubit quality have steadily improved hardware performance, experts believe fault-tolerant systems will require robust error-correction schemes capable of suppressing errors faster than they accumulate.

IQM claims its barbell codes offer a path toward that goal by combining lower logical error rates with lower hardware complexity. The company said the technology supports its roadmap toward quantum systems capable of operating with hundreds of high-precision logical qubits.

The development comes as IQM prepares to deploy 150-qubit quantum systems to customers later this year. The company has also announced IQM Halocene, a quantum computer designed for testing and developing error-correction technologies.

If the reported performance gains can be replicated in large-scale systems, the new approach could help reduce the hardware overhead traditionally associated with fault-tolerant quantum computing.

The development details and numerical performance analysis were published on arXiv.

H55 has delivered certification-grade propulsion battery modules to Pratt & Whitney Canada for RTX’s hybrid-electric flight demonstrator program, marking a key step in the integration and flight-testing phase of the project.

The delivery places H55’s battery systems directly into an active aerospace testing environment, where they will support hybrid-electric propulsion trials aimed at improving aircraft efficiency and reducing fuel consumption. The move signals growing maturity in H55’s technology, shifting it further into certified aviation applications rather than prototype development.

Hybrid-electric aviation is now moving beyond concept-stage research into regulated testing and certification pathways. Aircraft manufacturers and engine makers are increasingly relying on suppliers that can meet strict aviation safety standards while also scaling production for real-world deployment.

H55’s modules are designed specifically for this environment. The company focuses on certification-grade energy storage systems that can be integrated into aircraft propulsion architectures and repeatedly deployed across different platforms once approved by regulators.

From lab to flightline

The latest delivery reflects a transition from development work to industrial deployment. According to the companies, the battery modules are now part of a flight demonstrator program led by Pratt & Whitney Canada under RTX.

“H55’s ability to deliver aviation-grade battery systems within a rigorous certification and production framework plays a crucial role in demonstrating hybrid-electric technology in flight.”

The system is intended to support ongoing integration and flight-testing activities, where hybrid-electric propulsion is evaluated under real operating conditions. This includes verifying performance, safety, and reliability in environments that simulate commercial aviation use cases.

H55 says its battery architecture was built for certification requirements from the ground up. The company has also accumulated more than 2,000 flight hours across multiple electric aircraft programs without battery-related incidents, forming a safety record that supports its current aerospace partnerships.

Certification push underway

The delivery also highlights the increasing importance of certification readiness in electric aviation. Unlike early-stage prototypes, systems used in flight demonstrators must already meet regulatory expectations for safety design, testing, and operational reliability.

“This achievement provides a strong foundation for what comes next across hybrid-electric aviation, defence, UAVs and next-generation aerospace platforms.”

The company added that its technology is designed to scale from certified design to repeatable manufacturing, a key requirement for aircraft manufacturers preparing for future commercial deployment of hybrid-electric systems.

The RTX demonstrator program is part of broader efforts across the aviation industry to validate hybrid-electric propulsion technologies that could reduce fuel use and emissions. Battery systems remain one of the most critical components in this transition due to their impact on weight, safety, and performance.

H55’s role in the program places it among a small group of companies supplying certification-focused energy storage systems for aerospace testing programs. The company has also completed regulator-required propulsion battery certification testing, which it says strengthens its position in the emerging electric aviation supply chain.

As hybrid-electric aviation moves closer to commercial adoption, suppliers capable of meeting both regulatory and performance demands are expected to play a central role in shaping next-generation aircraft platforms.