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https://medium.com/predict/mits-new-battery-will-change-the-world-f922d79e758e>
"The future is battery-powered. All of our next-gen and planet-saving
technology, like solar power and electric vehicles (EVs), require batteries to
function. But as these brilliant pieces of technology become more widely
adopted, we find that our current batteries aren’t quite up to the job.
Lithium-ion, the most commonly used type of battery, is expensive, slow
charging, bulky, fast to degrade, has a tendency to catch fire, and isn’t the
kindest to the environment. Fortunately, MIT just created an entirely new type
of battery that solves all of these issues in one fell swoop. So, is this the
battery of the future? Or is there a catch?
When I say entirely new, I mean it. Every part of this battery uses different
materials from anything currently available. Its electrodes (the parts at the
ends of the battery which carry current into the circuit) are made from
aluminium and pure sulphur rather than the complex metals and graphite
electrodes of lithium-ion batteries. Its electrolyte (the part of the battery
in the middle, which carries ions to and from the electrodes) is also
different, being made of molten chloro-aluminate salts rather than the organic
solution with lithium salts found in lithium-ion batteries.
But how does this change in materials help?
Well, first off, aluminium, sulphur, and chloro-aluminate salts are all
abundant, easy to access, and cheap. This not only means that this battery has
the potential to be six times cheaper than an equivalent lithium-ion battery,
but it can also have a smaller carbon footprint rely less on harmful mining. So
it will be better for the planet and our wallets.
But don’t go thinking this means it lacks performance."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
