This is something we all have experienced. The rectangular icon at the top right-hand corner turns red as you are busy working on a task. This indicates that your battery is almost empty. The problems with batteries are more than minor inconveniences. Although they are a defective component of green energy, batteries are essential.
A large amount of energy in the future will be generated from renewable sources like solar and wind. We all know there are times when it is not windy, or the sun doesn’t shine. We need to store surplus electricity from renewable sources until we can consume it. One way to do this is with better batteries. We will need a lot of batteries if we want to power the electric cars and other mobility devices we envision.
The problem with even the best batteries is that they can have problems. One problem with lithium-ion batteries is the use of lithium as a key ingredient. This is also known as salt. Europe doesn’t have many lithium reserves, so it imports from a few countries like Australia and Chile. Another problem with lithium batteries is their high price, limited storage capacity and loss of performance after repeated charging.
To improve them, it is important to understand their workings. Three key components are the basis of traditional lithium-ion battery designs. The anode, cathode and electrolyte are the two main components of traditional lithium-ion batteries. The anode and cathodes are charged with electrons when the battery is discharged. These electrons can then be used to power any device they’re connected to. The electrolyte is flooded with positive lithium ions, which are attracted to the cathode’s negative charge. This reverses when the battery is charged.
Energy density
This is an electrochemical reaction that can be reversed. This basic reaction can be reversible, and there are many variations. The ASTRABAT Project explores the possibility of making the liquid electrolyte a gel or solid. These solid-state batteries are theoretically more efficient and can run devices for longer periods. Because they don’t contain flammable liquid electrolytes, they are safer and more efficient to make than traditional lithium-ion batteries.
Dr. Sophie Mailley, an electrochemist at the Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission in Grenoble (France), is the ASTRABAT coordinator. It is possible to make solid-state lithium-based batteries. These batteries, which use a gel electrolyte as their electrolyte, are not suitable for all applications. Dr. Mailley stated that it was clear that innovation is needed in this area to address the climate change problems.
Her team of partners and she have been working together to develop a recipe for solid-state lithium batteries. This involves looking at various components and determining which one works best together. Dr. Mailley said they have identified the right components and are now looking at ways to increase the production of the batteries.
She and her team will investigate whether recycling lithium and other components from solid-state batteries are easier than typical lithium-ion ones. It could be a step towards increasing the recycling of lithium and reducing dependence on imports.
Dr. Mailley believes that solid-state lithium batteries such as the one ASTRABAT are developing could be commercially available in electric cars by 2030 if all goes according to plan. Dr. Mailley said, “I don’t know if these solid-state lithium batteries will be the next significant battery innovation.” There are many other options, such as using sodium or manganese (instead) of lithium. Those might work out. She said we must continue investing in research to validate next-generation batteries.
Positively charged
Batteries are required to store energy to smooth out the supply of electricity grids. They must be reliable and have high capacities. This can make them expensive. The best option is not to use scarce lithium. The HiGREEW project instead is researching a different type of battery, called a redox flow cell.
Two liquids are the main components of redox-flow batteries. One is positively charged, and one is negatively charged. These liquids are pumped into a cell stack chamber when the battery is in use. There they are separated and exchange electrons, creating a current.
Dr. Eduardo Sanchez, a chemist at CIC energiGUNE in Spain, is the project’s coordinator. He is a researcher near Bilbao. He explained that large-scale redox flow batteries are in use globally and are stable for around 20 years. These batteries are made from vanadium dispersed in sulfuric acid. This is toxic and corrosive. These batteries must be made to safety standards at great cost.
Dr. Sanchez stated that Vanadium is a versatile metal with many strengths. It’s also cheap and stable. But if one of these batteries leaks, it’s not a good idea. Tanks must be designed to last.
Less toxic
The HIGREEW Project aims to create a redox-flow battery that stores carbon-based ions using less toxic materials. Sanchez and his colleagues have been trying to find the best combination of chemical and salt solutions for this battery. They now have a list of prototypes that work well and are looking at scaling them up.
The CIC energiGUNE center is still working on a prototype battery. Dr. Sanchez stated that it was important to maintain their high performance on a large scale.
His team is also investigating how to dip commercially available battery material materials to alter them and prolong their life chemically.