It's the Batteries, Stupid!

[ScepticMatt]

Lithium sulfur with reasonable cycle life http://www.hybridcars.com/study-new-lithium-sulfur-battery-could-replace-lithium-ion/

Man I hate pay-for-access journals (even when I had access years ago)

Update: More info at the Source: Green Car Congress: New Li-S battery shows cycle performance comparable to that of Li-ion batteries along with more than double the energy density

At a rate of C/3, the cathode shows a capacity of ∼1000 mAh g−1; Coulombic efficiencies of more than 99.3% except for the first cycle; and a maintenance of the capacity above 99% of the initial capacity even after 100 cycles.

The lithiated Si/SiOx nanosphere anode used shows highly stable cycling behavior over 100 cycles with a capacity of as high as 800 mAh g−1 and cycling efficiency approaching 100%.

The full lithium-ion sulfur cell presented in the study delivers a capacity of ∼750 mAh g−1 with an average working voltage of about 1.8 V, corresponding to the energy density of 497 Wh kg−1 based on the weight of active materials on the cathode and anode.

So the metrics I'm still concerned about are how it will handle higher C rates and it's volumetric energy density (Wh/l).

 

[Electroman]

An article in The Economist - Tiny balls of fire - has some interesting details about an accidental discovery while working with an Aluminum anode, which increases the energy density many fold and most importantly does not degrade after many charging cycles, and is optimistic on scaling this to industry level production.

Whether this is "yet-another breakthrough" that we see every week, or is really one - we will have to wait and see.

 

[dpeilow]

You beat me to it with that one.

They talk about aluminium longevity being a problem, but surely that one has been solved - at least to the level they claim?

 

[Electroman]

The thing is we never hear anything more on these breakthroughs after the initial blurb..

 

[dpeilow]

Well, as Elon said... enough of the press releases and PowerPoints - just send one cell so we can test it.

 

[Cosmacelf]

Here's the MIT News article talking about this Aluminum yolk ball breakthrough. Sounds very interesting.

“Yolksâ€￾ and “shellsâ€￾ improve rechargeable batteries | MIT News

And here's the actual paper:

High-rate aluminium yolk-shell nanoparticle anode for Li-ion battery with long cycle life and ultrahigh capacity : Nature Communications : Nature Publishing Group

It passes my sniff test. I wonder if they've been contacted by a VC yet to commercialize it?

 

[Lloyd]

They report 45% degradation after 500 cycles. Not yet acceptable, but an advance.

 

[Cosmacelf]

They report 45% degradation after 500 cycles. Not yet acceptable, but an advance.

Was that at 10c? At 1c, I didn't think the degradation was that high...

 

[JRP3]

BioSolar "super cathode" polymer

Our novel high capacity cathode is engineered from a polymer, similar to that of low-cost plastics used in the household. Through a smart chemical design, we are able to make the polymer hold an enormous amount of electrons. Instead of conventional cathodes that use lithium-ion intercalation chemistry, which is inherently slow, we exploit the fast redox-reaction properties of our polymer to enable rapid charge and discharge

Our Super Cathode can be used to manufacture a super battery that is 2 times higher capacity than the batteries currently used in a Tesla Model S, at 4 times less cost.

http://www.biosolar.com/super_battery.php

Sounds good. Now show us.

 

[Electroman]

These are all what I call "Power Point cells". Works great on Power Point.

 

[widodh]

Graphenano and Grabat launch graphene-based batteries! | Graphene-Info


Let's see if this is true... I hope so, but I doubt it.

 

[Johan]

Graphenano and Grabat launch graphene-based batteries! | Graphene-Info


Let's see if this is true... I hope so, but I doubt it.

...the companies hope to have operational prototypes in mid-2016 and commercial batteries at the end of this year. The batteries are said to have a density of 1,000 Wh / kg and a voltage of 2,3V. Independent analyses by TÜV and Dekra show that the batteries are safe and are not prone to explosions like lithium batteries.

Well know soon enough. Also my LiIon batteries haven't expolded that much lately, neither in my car, phone, lap-top, cordless vacuum cleaner, headlight, power drill, toothbrush etc.

 

[JRP3]

How about in your hoverboard? :wink:

 

[Electroman]

I don't have an hover board.

 

[pmadflyer]

I don't have an hover board.

Anymore? :tongue:

 

[X-Ki]

interesting post on Twitter : Accidental discovery could help batteries last years longer
While fiddling with nanowire and gel, scientists made a battery lasting over 200,000 charge cycles.
the future will be electric ;-)

 

[X-Ki]

even more interesting: grapheen

 

[Skotty]

I hate when researches make breakthroughs on "accident". How about some breakthroughs by research and experimentation on purpose, fellas?

 

[Johan]

I hate when researches make breakthroughs on "accident". How about some breakthroughs by research and experimentation on purpose, fellas?

I wouldn't admit it if I made a breakthrough by chance. I would say it was the plan all along. Naturally.

 

[tomas]

RTFA. It was found by experimentation. "Accident" was the journalist's word. However, many chemical discoveries are totally by accident and that's OK. Like aspartame (experimental ulcer med that chemist tasted and noticed sweetness).