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UCLA Unveils Fast-Charging Nickel-Iron Battery for Renewables

2/12/2026

Summary

Story summary

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) researchers developed a nickel-iron battery inspired by Thomas Edison’s early designs that recharges in seconds and endures over 12,000 cycles.
The battery offers more than 30 years of daily use at 12,000+ cycles but has lower energy density than lithium-ion batteries.
Beef-production proteins and graphene oxide form a highly efficient aerogel structure that could boost renewable energy storage for solar farms and data centers.

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Story summary

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) researchers developed a nickel-iron battery inspired by Thomas Edison’s early designs that recharges in seconds and endures over 12,000 cycles.
The battery offers more than 30 years of daily use at 12,000+ cycles but has lower energy density than lithium-ion batteries.
Beef-production proteins and graphene oxide form a highly efficient aerogel structure that could boost renewable energy storage for solar farms and data centers.