Researchers have developed a new type of battery that uses seawater to generate sodium hypochlorite, a common household bleach. This innovation addresses a key challenge in seawater battery technology, where a secondary chemical reaction was previously seen as a problem. Now, scientists have found a way to harness this reaction, significantly boosting the battery's performance. The new battery design has more than doubled its peak power output, offering a promising alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries. As global energy demand rises—driven by the growth of artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, and modern electrical grids—there is a growing need for large-scale energy storage solutions. Currently, lithium-ion batteries dominate the market due to their high energy density and well-established production processes. However, their widespread use is limited by the environmental and geopolitical challenges associated with sourcing raw materials like lithium and cobalt. Additionally, lithium-ion batteries can be prone to fires and require complex thermal management systems. To address these issues, researchers at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), part of the U.S. Department of Energy, are exploring a safer and more cost-effective alternative using seawater. Seawater batteries rely on sodium ions, which are abundant in nature, making them potentially cheaper and more sustainable. In a study published in the journal Energy Storage Materials, the researchers highlight that sodium-ion batteries could be especially suitable for large-scale stationary energy storage due to their inherent safety and lower production costs. The new seawater battery design exploits a secondary chemical reaction that produces sodium hypochlorite. Unlike traditional seawater batteries, which depend on a slow oxygen-based reaction, this new approach uses the hypochlorite reaction, which occurs entirely in a liquid medium. This eliminates the need for a catalyst and the energy-consuming phase change from liquid to gas. As a result, the battery's efficiency improves, its internal resistance decreases, and its peak power output more than doubles. The discharge voltage reaches up to 3.5 volts—comparable to that of lithium-ion batteries. This advancement could open the door to new applications, including nautical uses, and the technology is being developed for commercial use by Coulomb Technology.