Category: Battery

Researchers at Binghamton University have developed a groundbreaking biodegradable battery powered by a blend of 15 probiotic strains, marking the first time probiotics have been used for power generation. Harmless to humans and the environment, this innovative battery is designed to operate temporarily within the body before dissolving safely.

Built on a water-soluble paper substrate, the battery features biodegradable materials and a pH-sensitive polymer coating that allows it to activate in acidic environments, such as the human stomach. Upon exposure to water or bodily fluids, the paper dissolves, releasing probiotics from protective layers. These probiotics then metabolize available substances to generate electricity.

Engineers have developed a groundbreaking solution to eliminate fluid flow “dead zones” in electrodes used for battery-based seawater desalination, significantly improving the efficiency of the process. The innovative design introduces a physics-driven tapered flow channel within the electrodes, facilitating faster and more effective fluid movement. This new approach has the potential to reduce energy consumption compared to traditional reverse osmosis techniques, offering a more sustainable solution for desalinating seawater.

Desalination has long been a challenge for sustainable water supply solutions, particularly due to the high energy demands of current technologies. The most commonly used method, reverse osmosis, filters salt from seawater by forcing it through a membrane. While effective, this process is both energy-intensive and costly.

The competition to lead the electric vehicle (EV) market is intensifying, with charging speed emerging as a key factor. General Motors (GM) and its Chinese partner CATL have taken a significant step forward by introducing the fastest-charging EV battery to date.

This new battery, based on lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry, boasts an impressive 6C ultra-fast charging capability. The “C” rating refers to a battery’s charging speed, and the 6C battery can fully charge in just 10 minutes, or “one-sixth of an hour,” according to the CnEV post.

In the rapidly evolving electric vehicle (EV) industry, a groundbreaking innovation in battery technology is poised to dramatically enhance energy storage capacity. This breakthrough comes at a critical time, as the global shift toward EVs accelerates, making it the perfect moment for a transformative leap forward. Researchers at Pohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH) have unveiled a new technique that boosts the energy storage capacity of batteries by an impressive tenfold. This advancement has the potential to revolutionize not just EVs, but the entire energy storage landscape.

A battery’s performance hinges on the efficiency of its anode, the component that stores energy during charging and releases it when in use. In most modern lithium-ion batteries, graphite is the material commonly used for anodes. However, silicon is emerging as a superior alternative due to its significantly higher energy capacity. The challenge with silicon, however, is its tendency to expand during battery reactions, compromising both the stability and safety of the battery.

Researchers at the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology (QIBEBT) in China have developed a groundbreaking modification to the cathode for all-solid-state lithium batteries (ASLB), significantly enhancing their energy density and life cycle.

According to a press release from the institute, this research marks a major step forward in the development of next-generation high-performance batteries.

As the world shifts away from fossil fuels and towards electrifying transportation, the role of batteries becomes increasingly critical. Although batteries have been used for centuries, lithium-ion batteries have achieved the highest energy densities to date. However, with the rapid expansion of solar and wind power and the growing demand for electric vehicles, lithium battery technology is nearing its limits, potentially becoming a bottleneck in the transition to greener energy solutions.

In a remarkable technological leap, Beijing-based startup Betavolt has introduced a revolutionary nuclear battery that promises to provide uninterrupted electricity for up to half a century without the need for charging or maintenance. This groundbreaking innovation heralds a new era in energy storage by achieving the miniaturization of atomic energy, fitting 63 nuclear isotopes into a module smaller than a coin.

Betavolt’s nuclear battery, the first of its kind globally, has successfully entered the pilot testing phase and is poised for mass production for a wide array of commercial applications, including smartphones and drones. The company envisions its Betavolt atomic energy batteries as a solution to long-lasting power supply needs in diverse scenarios such as aerospace, AI equipment, medical devices, microprocessors, advanced sensors, small drones, and micro-robots.

In a major development for renewable energy storage, researchers at Stanford University have unveiled a novel technology poised to transform how we harness and utilize clean energy. Dubbed the “liquid battery,” this innovation addresses the intermittent nature of renewable sources like solar and wind power, promising more sustainable and reliable energy grids that currently rely heavily on lithium-ion technologies.

The research team, led by Robert Waymouth, the Robert Eckles Swain Professor in Chemistry, has developed an efficient method to store hydrogen in a liquid form, overcoming the challenges associated with traditional hydrogen storage, which often involves bulky and complex infrastructure.

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have repurposed a commonplace chemical used in water treatment facilities to create a new, large-scale energy storage solution. This innovative battery design, which utilizes Earth-abundant materials, offers a safe, economical, water-based flow battery that could significantly enhance the integration of intermittent energy sources like wind and solar into the nation’s electric grid.

Published in Nature Communications, the study reports that the iron-based battery demonstrated exceptional cycling stability, maintaining 98.7 percent of its maximum capacity over 1,000 consecutive charging cycles. This performance marks a substantial improvement over previous iron-based batteries, which exhibited significantly higher charge capacity degradation over fewer cycles.

Chinese researchers have unveiled a groundbreaking water-based battery design that promises enhanced safety and energy efficiency compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries. This innovative battery boasts a lifespan of over 1,000 charge-discharge cycles, as reported in the April 23 issue of Nature Energy.

A key property of any battery is its energy density, which measures the amount of energy it holds relative to its size or weight. Lithium-ion batteries, known for their high energy density, are widely used in electric vehicles and portable electronics. However, the organic chemicals in their electrolytes pose fire and explosion risks if the system overheats. Water-based batteries, while inherently safer, typically suffer from lower energy density due to their limited voltage range.

Long road trips through the vast expanses of the American Midwest can evoke feelings of uncertainty, especially when you’re unsure where the next gas station might appear. Before the era of smartphones, this situation was akin to an “Exacerbated Emotional Emergency,” as drivers dreaded the looming “E” on the dashboard, signifying an empty fuel tank. The fear of being stranded on the roadside, hoping for assistance and praying for safety, was a familiar road trip nightmare. This was the precursor to “range anxiety” before electric cars came into the picture. Today, many Tesla, Lucid, and Rivian owners experience microbursts of similar anxiety when contemplating the availability of charging stations outside the Bay Area.

While electric charging stations are gradually proliferating across the country, they haven’t achieved the same ubiquity as traditional gas stations. Instead of focusing solely on faster recharging solutions, Professors Soojin Park and Youn Soo Kim from Pohang University of Science & Technology, along with Professor Jaegeon Ryu from Songang University, devised a groundbreaking way to extend the distance electric vehicles can travel before needing a recharge.