Iowa Researchers Build Batteries From Waste Glass and Corn

Iowa State University researchers are turning garbage into gold by building batteries from materials most people throw away.

Steve W. Martin, who has studied battery technology for 40 years, leads a team developing energy storage using sodium (1,000 times cheaper than lithium), waste glass from Des Moines recycling centers, biochar from corn processing, and sulfur. The batteries are designed specifically to store Iowa's abundant wind energy at a fraction of current costs.

The Iowa Energy Center is backing the project with $458,743 over three years. Martin and colleague Patrick Johnson are testing whether these everyday materials can match or beat the performance of expensive traditional batteries.

The sodium-based battery uses waste glass as its separator, biochar as its anode, and sulfur as its cathode. Most of these materials come from renewable Iowa sources, making the entire system sustainable from start to finish.

"We're building ultra-low-cost, ultra-high-performance batteries using all Iowa resources to store renewable Iowa wind energy," said Martin, a distinguished professor of materials science and engineering.

The raw materials aren't perfect for battery production yet. Martin's team is experimenting with mixing waste glass into pure glass separators, while Johnson's group tests how well biochar can replace purer carbon materials. The research builds on a 2019 project that proved the concept works.

The team has already created working prototypes, though Martin jokes they're "like the artwork only a mother could love." The next challenge is making them rechargeable, boosting their energy density, and scaling them up for industrial use.

Martin envisions flat, stackable pouch-style batteries about two to three times larger than current electric vehicle batteries. Hundreds could be connected together to store massive amounts of wind energy for the power grid.

The Ripple Effect

The project delivers benefits beyond just better batteries. Two doctoral students are advancing their research, while two undergraduates gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology.

Johnson, whose background includes finding new uses for coal at the University of Wyoming, said the work creates partnerships with Iowa companies producing biochar. These businesses are eager to find higher-value uses for what's currently a fertilizer additive.

The team is already exploring commercialization through Iowa State's Startup Factory, an incubator that helps researchers launch companies. Patents and scientific papers are in development.

Iowa produces enough wind energy to power millions of homes, but storing that energy affordably remains a major challenge. Current battery technology using lithium and rare materials costs too much for grid-scale storage.

Johnson acknowledged the technical hurdles ahead, noting that only a handful of researchers worldwide work with glass-based solid-state batteries. But Martin remains optimistic, quoting his daughter, a college basketball coach: "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take."

A new battery fabrication and testing center on campus is accelerating development, giving the team tools to refine their designs and test prototypes faster than ever before.

If successful, the technology could transform how America stores renewable energy while creating new value from agricultural and recycling waste streams.