Science Daily August 26, 2020 Stable operation of rechargeable lithium-based batteries at low temperatures is plagued by dendritic Li plating and unstable solid–electrolyte interphase (SEI). A team of researchers in the US (Pennsylvania State University, Argonne National Laboratory, Ohio University, University of Illinois) used a self-assembled monolayer of electrochemically active molecules on current collectors that regulates the nanostructure and composition of the SEI and deposition morphology of Li metal anodes to achieve high performance. A multilayer SEI that contains a lithium fluoride-rich inner phase and amorphous outer layer effectively seals the Li surface, in contrast to the conventional SEI, which […]
Category Archives: Battery technology
A Battery That’s Tough Enough To Take Structural Loads
IEEE Spectrum August 19, 2020 The main problem to overcome in load-bearing batteries is the tradeoff between electrochemical performance and mechanical strength. A team of researchers in the US (University of Michigan, Texas A&M University) used a solid electrolyte and covered the electrodes with a membrane whose nanostructure of fibers is derived from Kevlar. That makes the membrane tough enough to suppress the growth of dendrites. The researchers do not announce how many watt-hours his prototype stores per gram. Drones and other autonomous robots may benefit from the technology as their range is severely chained to their battery capacity…read more. […]
Researchers advance fuel cell technology
Science Daily June 8, 2020 A team of researchers in the US (Washington State University, UMass Lowell, Stony Brook, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) used an inexpensive catalyst made from nickel and then added molybdenum nanoparticles as a dopant to make a fuel cell. In tests the fuel cell was able to run for 24 hours straight without failing. The system was resistant to carbon build-up and sulfur poisoning. Fuel cells that run on gasoline tend to build up carbon within the cell, stopping the conversion reaction. Other chemicals that are common in liquid fuels, such as sulfur, […]
Researchers develop viable sodium battery
Science Daily June 1, 2020 An international team of researchers (USA – Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Washington State University, China) created a layered metal oxide cathode and a liquid electrolyte that included extra sodium ions. The cathode design and electrolyte system allowed for continued movement of sodium ions, preventing inactive surface crystal build-up, and allowing for unimpeded electricity generation. The research revealed the essential correlation between cathode structure evolution and surface interaction with the electrolyte. They are working to better understand the important interaction between the electrolyte and the cathode, so they can work with different materials […]
Roadmap for battery research in Europe
EurekAlert May 13, 2020 To develop tomorrow’s batteries, partners from science and industry all over Europe have launched the research initiative BATTERY 2030+. The roadmap https://battery2030.eu/research/roadmap/ defines the milestones in more detail: A joint platform for the development of materials with the help of AI, networked sensors and self-healing technology for batteries, and sustainable production and recycling processes. It defines the properties of future batteries and lists measures to accelerate development. Three main research lines are identified: accelerate search for new materials and the right material mix, develop novel functions, and establish production and recycling concepts…read more.
Room-temperature superionic conduction achieved using pseudorotation of hydride complexes
Phys.org May 13, 2020 Solid-state ionic conductors’ superior ionic conductivities require high temperature to activate the rotation of polyanions, which conversely means low conductivities at room temperature. Researchers in Japan were able to reduce the activation temperature by using transition metal hydride complexes as a new class of rotatable polyanions, wherein hydrogen is the sole ligand species, covalently binding to single transition metals. The rotation of transition metal hydride complexes only requires displacements of highly mobile hydrogen and can therefore be expected to occur with low activation energy. The mechanism is quite general and would be useful in lowering the […]
Stretchable lithium-ion battery is based on new micro-honeycomb structure
Nanowerk April 29, 2020 In stretchable batteries the electrodes must have a degree of stretchability because the active materials occupy most of the volume, and the separator and packaging should also be stretchable. Researchers in South Korea have developed an all-component stretchable lithium-ion battery by leveraging the structural stretchability of re-entrant micro-honeycomb graphene–carbon nanotube (CNT)/active material composite electrodes and a physically cross-linked gel electrolyte, without using an inactive elastomeric substrate or matrix. Active materials interconnected via the entangled CNT and graphene sheets provided a mechanically stable porous network framework consisting solely of binder-free, highly conductive materials which provided superior electron […]
Simple method for ceramic-based flexible electrolyte sheets for lithium metal batteries
EurekAlert April 11, 2020 The garnet-type ceramic Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) is one of the few solid-state fast-ion conductors that is stable against Li metal. However, the densification of LLZO powders usually requires high sintering temperatures which likely results in Li loss and various side reactions. Researchers in Japan have developed a process to make flexible composite Al-doped LLZO (Al-LLZO) sheet electrolyte which can be mass-produced at room temperature. The sheet electrolyte enables Li-metal batteries to operate at both 60 and 30 °C, demonstrating its potential application for developing practical Li-metal batteries…read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
An all-organic proton battery energized for sustainable energy storage
EurekAlert April 2, 2020 Researchers in Sweden have developed a battery using quinones, which occurs in photosynthesis, as the active material. It has the ability to absorb or emit hydrogen ions during charging and discharging. An acidic aqueous solution was used as an electrolyte. They demonstrated the battery can be easily charged using a solar cell without the help of advanced electronics and it is unaffected by ambient temperature. The battery retains properties such as capacity down to as low as -24°C… read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Pathways toward realizing the promise of all-solid-state batteries
Nanowerk March 13, 2020 Though promising all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) still face barriers that limit their practical application such as poor interfacial stability, scalability challenges and production safety. In this review article researchers at UC San Diego seek to evaluate solid-state electrolytes beyond conventional factors and offer a perspective on various bulk, interface and nanoscale phenomena that require urgent attention within the scientific community. They provide a realistic assessment of the current state-of-the-art characterization techniques and evaluate future full cell ASSB prototyping strategies. They hope to offer rational solutions to overcome some major fundamental obstacles faced by the ASSB community, as […]