Researchers harnessed bacteria to power these paper batteries. Credit: Seokheun Choi In remote areas of the world or in regions with limited resources, everyday items like electrical outlets and batteries are luxuries. Health care workers in these areas often lack electricity to power diagnostic devices, and commercial batteries may be unavailable or too expensive. New power sources are needed that
Though the idea of supercapacitors has been around since the 19th century, current technologies are finally realizing the advanced energy storage that was always deemed possible. The concept behind supercapacitors (sometimes called ultracapacitors) has drawn a lot of attention since conception due to the technology’s exceptionally high capacitance with an almost unlimited charge/discharge cycle life. Supercapacitors promise an operational voltage
Battery researchers are fighting battles on many fronts in their efforts to advance our energy capabilities, and one of those centers on dangly tentacles of lithium called dendrites. These form as a battery charges and quickly degrade their capacity, so scientists are coming at them from all angles in attempts to quash them. New research out of Rice University describes
Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology examined the mechanisms behind the resistance at the electrode-electrolyte interface of all-solid-state batteries. Their findings will aid in the development of much better Li-ion batteries with very fast charge/discharge rates. Designing and improving lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries is crucial for extending the limits of modern electronic devices and electric vehicles because Li-ion batteries are virtually
The hot-press procedure, developed at Drexel, melts sulfur into the nanofiber mats in a slightly pressurized, 140-degree Celsius environment — eliminating the need for time-consuming processing that uses a mix of toxic chemicals, while improving the cathode’s ability to hold a charge after long periods of use.Credit: Drexel University In late July of 2008 a British solar plane set an
There are currently great hopes for solid-state batteries. They contain no liquid parts that could leak or catch fire. For this reason, they do not require cooling and are considered to be much safer, more reliable, and longer lasting than traditional lithium-ion batteries. Scientists have now introduced a new concept that allows currents up to ten times greater during charging and discharging than previously described in the literature.
Researchers investigate mechanics of lithium sulfides, which show promise as solid electrolytes. David L. Chandler | MIT News Office February 2, 2017 Most batteries are composed of two solid, electrochemically active layers called electrodes, separated by a polymer membrane infused with a liquid or gel electrolyte. But recent research has explored the possibility of all-solid-state batteries, in which the liquid (and
The European “Fast Charge” research consortium presented a prototype for a charging station with an output of up to 450kW. The new charging station is suitable for electric models of all brands with the European standard Type 2 variant of the widely used Combined Charging System (CCS), and is now available for use free of charge. A Porsche research vehicle with a
A recent study, affiliated UNIST has introduced a novel technology that promises to significantly boost the performance of lithium metal batteries, a promising candidate for the next generation of rechargeable batteries. The study also validates the principle of enhanced battery performance via the real-time in situ observation of charge-discharge cycling. This breakthrough has been led by Professor Hyun-Wook Lee in
Worldwide efforts to make sodium-ion batteries just as functional as lithium-ion batteries have long since controlled sodium’s tendency to explode, but not yet resolved how to prevent sodium-ions from “getting lost” during the first few times a battery charges and discharges. Now, Purdue University researchers made a sodium powder version that fixes this problem and holds a charge properly. “Adding