New water battery could last until the 24th century — and it can be safely discarded in the environment
By Rory Bathgate
Published on May 7, 2026.
Researchers in China have developed a formula for a nontoxic "aqueous battery" that could last 10 times longer than current devices and can be disposed of safely in the environment. The new method involves synthesized covalent organic polymers (COPs) bound together in a tight structure and used for magnesium and calcium ions. These polymers can last 120,000 charge cycles, more than 10 times the life of a typical lithium-ion battery used for grid storage. The neutral electrolytes used in the research, with a pH of 7.0, conduct ions to a high efficiency and without corroding this battery. The researchers also said the electrolytes are so safe they can be used as tofu brine, non-toxic and easy to dispose of directly into the environmental environment. However, there are downsides to aqueous batteries, which do not store as much energy as conventional Li-ion batteries.
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