https://www.techspot.com/news/111434-tofu-brine-could-power-safer-batteries-last-decades.html

Tofu Brine could power safer batteries that last decades, researchers say

A new neutral-electrolyte battery survives more than 120,000 cycles without fire risk

By Skye Jacobs Today (Feb 23, 2026)

Bottom line: A mixture most people associate with tofu production could soon help make safer, longer-lasting batteries. Researchers from the City University of Hong Kong and Southern University of Science and Technology have built a water-based power cell that runs on tofu brine – the mineral-rich solution left behind after pressing soy curds.

The design replaces the complex, flammable chemistry of lithium-ion batteries with an electrolyte that's as safe as saltwater. In lab tests, the prototype endured more than 120,000 charge cycles, an endurance record that far exceeds today's commercial standards. Typical electric-vehicle batteries degrade after just a few thousand cycles – even long-duration grid systems seldom survive beyond ten thousand.

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Wonder how does that endure in cold? And by cold mean extreme temperatures at -40c that are common in harsh winters here where I live. There is very little type of battery chemistry that withstand abuse here for rapid temperature cycles.

Now I am not too interested in EV:s aside from diesel electric and pantograph powered electric locomotives (love the sound of VR class SR1 and SR2 traction motors in the morning at station), but batteries failing at cold and short lifespan is extremely large issue here for startup battery and also for anything that requires to be powered by it's own power source for example lights, handheld radios, drills etc and while there is already specialized battery technologies they all got flaw or other. As far as I understood from article that also does not have issue or corroding trough battery and destroying equipment is connected on nor risk of catching fire. Another use case I would find that as extremely useful is on the UPS units at server rooms. Current battery technologies got their own safety flaws. That could provide much safer option for those. I seen swollen and near exploding and dangerously overheated UPS batteries over the years when done my job. While sometimes it is user error I seen original new OEM batteries do that as well.

If you got some links to research for that temperature endurance with tofu brine I would be interested in reading about it. Always want search on new type of battery technologies. Specially interested in comparing that to with silver calcium, NI-MH and Lithium Ion under low temperatures.