Battery breakthrough from NTU Singapore
Posted by freedomforall 10 years, 5 months ago to Technology
Excerpt:
"With our nanotechnology, electric cars would be able to increase their range dramatically with just five minutes of charging, which is on par with the time needed to pump petrol for current cars," added Prof Chen.
"Equally important, we can now drastically cut down the waste generated by disposed batteries, since our batteries last ten times longer than the current generation of lithium-ion batteries."
The long-life of the new battery also means drivers save on the cost of a battery replacement, which could cost over USD$5,000 each.
Easy to manufacture
According to Frost & Sullivan, a leading growth-consulting firm, the global market of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries is projected to be worth US$23.4 billion in 2016.
Lithium-ion batteries usually use additives to bind the electrodes to the anode, which affects the speed in which electrons and ions can transfer in and out of the batteries.
However, Prof Chen's new cross-linked titanium dioxide nanotube-based electrodes eliminate the need for these additives and can pack more energy into the same amount of space.
"Manufacturing this new nanotube gel is very easy," Prof Chen added. "Titanium dioxide and sodium hydroxide are mixed together and stirred under a certain temperature. Battery manufacturers will find it easy to integrate our new gel into their current production processes."
"With our nanotechnology, electric cars would be able to increase their range dramatically with just five minutes of charging, which is on par with the time needed to pump petrol for current cars," added Prof Chen.
"Equally important, we can now drastically cut down the waste generated by disposed batteries, since our batteries last ten times longer than the current generation of lithium-ion batteries."
The long-life of the new battery also means drivers save on the cost of a battery replacement, which could cost over USD$5,000 each.
Easy to manufacture
According to Frost & Sullivan, a leading growth-consulting firm, the global market of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries is projected to be worth US$23.4 billion in 2016.
Lithium-ion batteries usually use additives to bind the electrodes to the anode, which affects the speed in which electrons and ions can transfer in and out of the batteries.
However, Prof Chen's new cross-linked titanium dioxide nanotube-based electrodes eliminate the need for these additives and can pack more energy into the same amount of space.
"Manufacturing this new nanotube gel is very easy," Prof Chen added. "Titanium dioxide and sodium hydroxide are mixed together and stirred under a certain temperature. Battery manufacturers will find it easy to integrate our new gel into their current production processes."
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Get em outta the way!
Good article. In regards to the Price of Lithium, if memory serves, there are mining operations all over, but China is one of the larger suppliers. Since we just read a report offered on this site of China's impending food shortage, perhaps a deal could be reached. American farmers could have a valuable commodity for their market... I also wonder how trade policies, duties, and exchange rates effect the price here... Still, if the lifespan is long enough the price per cycle may be attractive.
Regards,
O.A.
The side benefit of electric cars is no maintenance, which most don't realize. We have the range-extending generator on the Volt, but only runs intermittently and only after the 45 mile battery is discharged. As a result, it gets very little use and we've only had a couple of oil changes on it in over 2 years. Braking is aided by the regenerative system on each wheel, so even the brake pads don't get a lot of use. It's wonderful for the wife's car to basically work and not have to be maintained by me on the weekends, kind of like using a toaster. I don't miss that stuff at all.
A better battery though would dramatically improve the car though.
Earlier this year, Japan Power Plus released information on its technology, dual carbon batteries. A lot of the same benefits but without the lithium. Would reduce the capital expense to producing items requiring batters. I don’t understand how you can have an anode and a cathode produced from the same element and still call it a battery but on the merits of the press-release, it sound promising.
http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/18250...