In search of longer-lasting batteries for electric vehicles, scientists have turned their attention to pure lithium metal as replacement for the currently-used graphite-based anodes. Pure lithium could contribute to the reduction of battery weight and also extend the driving range of a vehicle. The only problem is that the lifetime of batteries with this metal is still shorter than that of commonly-used batteries. Now (2022),...
In search of an easily rechargeable energy storage medium, many types of batteries have been developed in the past decades. The most common among them undoubtedly is the well-known and widely-used lithium-ion battery. However, in view of the uneven geographic distribution, negative environmental impact and high cost of many of the elements required for lithium-ion batteries, scientists have increasingly been looking for alternatives....
Solid-state batteries are considered an important power source for a wide variety of applications. They use solid electrodes and solid electrolytes instead of the liquid or polymer gel electrolytes usually found in commercial batteries. Materials proposed as solid electrolytes for this type of battery comprise ceramics (e.g., oxides, sulphides) and solid polymers. Solid-state batteries have the potential to provide a solution to many...
Designing the perfect battery can be a challenging task, if you want to not only create a device which can store a lot of energy but is also safe. Liquid electrolytes, for example, work reliably over many cycles; however, chances are high that the battery might catch fire at some point. Therefore, scientists have turned their attention towards lithium batteries consisting entirely of solid components, so-called solid-state batteries,...
Solid-state batteries are batteries which use solid electrolyte materials instead of electrochemical gels and liquids to power devices. They have high safety efficiency and energy density as well as function under a wide variety of operating temperatures. Despite their overall good efficiencies, they contain certain elements which may cause a disturbance in the free flow of electrons between the cathode and the ion-conducting layer,...
Flow batteries consist of electrochemical cells containing chemical components which are dissolved in liquids and pumped through the system on separate sides of a membrane to provide the chemical energy needed. The ion exchange takes place through the membrane while both liquids remain in their respective spaces. Cell voltage ranges from 1.0 to 2.43 volts. Flow batteries can be used like fuel cells or rechargeable batteries. While they...
Conducting scientific experiments usually involves several carefully planned steps which consist of selecting a topic of research, determining the parameters of the experiment and finally carrying it out. All careful planning notwithstanding, experiments sometimes do not only yield the desired results; however, they may lead to completely unexpected insights and findings. Such was the case in an experiment recently conducted by...
For many years, scientists have been looking for ways to improve the life cycle of commercial lithium-ion batteries as despite the fact that they are a commonly-used and indispensable part of many technical applications, there are still issues concerning their operational capacity. There exist several materials which might lead to improved efficiencies. Metal oxides, for example, have been shown to be a suitable candidate as...
Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) use an electrolyte consisting of a solid oxide material which conducts negative oxygen ions from the cathode to the anode. The electrochemical oxidation of the oxygen ions with hydrogen or carbon monoxide takes place on the anode side. This kind of fuel cell operates at very high temperatures (500 - 1,000°C) and does not need expensive platinum catalysts which are vulnerable to carbon monoxide catalyst...
Lithium-ion batteries have played an important role in the commercialisation of portable consumer electronics. It is small wonder therefore that their production is assumed to increase significantly in the next few decades, whereas battery prices are expected to decrease. Lithium-ion batteries are used for electric vehicles as well as large-scale energy storage applications. As the demand for energy density is ever increasing and...
