. 24/7 Space News .
ENERGY TECH
A revolution in lithium-ion batteries is becoming more realistic
by Staff Writers
Kracrow, Poland (SPX) Sep 13, 2017


Lithium amide-borohydride is a promising candidate for a solid electrolyte. The crystalline structure of this material consists of two sub-lattices, shown in different colors. Under appropriate conditions, lithium ions (red), normally found in the elementary cells of only one sub-lattice (yellow), move to the empty cells of the second sub-lattice (blue) where they can freely propagate.

The modern world relies on portable electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, cameras or camcorders. Many of these devices are powered by lithium-ion batteries, which could be smaller, lighter, safer and more efficient if the liquid electrolytes they contain were replaced by solids. A promising candidate for a solid-state electrolyte is a new class of materials based on lithium compounds, presented by physicists from Switzerland and Poland.

Commercially available lithium-ion batteries consist of two electrodes connected by a liquid electrolyte. This electrolyte makes it difficult for engineers to reduce the size and weight of the battery, in addition, it is subjected to leakage; the lithium in the exposed electrodes then comes into contact with oxygen in the air and undergoes self-ignition. Boeing's troubles, which for many months caused a full grounding of Dreamliner flights, are a spectacular example of the problems brought about by the use of modern lithium-ion batteries.

Laboratories have been searching for solid materials capable of replacing liquid electrolytes for years. The most popular candidates include compounds in which lithium ions are surrounded by sulphur or oxygen ions. However, in the journal Advanced Energy Materials, a Swiss-Polish team of scientists has presented a new class of ionic compounds where the charge carriers are lithium ions moving in an environment of amine (NH2) and tetrahydroborate (BH4) ions.

The experimental part of the research project was carried out at Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology in Dubendorf, and at the University of Geneva (UG). The person responsible for the theoretical description of the mechanisms leading to the exceptionally high ionic conductivity of the new material was Prof. Zbigniew Lodziana from the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IFJ PAN) in Cracow.

"We were dealing with lithium amide-borohydride, a substance previously regarded as not being too good an ionic conductor. This compound is made by milling two constituents in a ratio of 1 to 3. To date, nobody has ever tested what happens to ionic conductivity when the proportions between these constituents are changed. We were the first to do so and suddenly it turned out that by reducing the number of NH2 groups to a certain limit we could significantly improve the conductivity. It increases so much that it becomes comparable to the conductivity of liquid electrolytes!" says Prof. Lodziana.

The several dozen-fold boost in ionic conductivity of the new material - the effect of a change in the proportion of its constituents - opens up a new, unexplored direction in the search for a candidate for a solid-state electrolyte. Previously, throughout the world, the focus was almost exclusively on changes in the composition of the chemical substance. It has now become apparent that, at the stage of production of the compound, a key role can be played by the proportions themselves of the ingredients used to manufacture them.

"Our lithium amide-borohydride is a representative of a promising new class of solid-state electrolyte materials. However, it will be some time before batteries built on such compounds come into use. For example, there should be no chemical reactions between the electrolyte and the electrodes leading to their degradation. This problem is still waiting for an optimal solution", comments Prof. Lodziana.

The research prospects are promising. The scientists from Empa, UG and IFJ PAN did not confine themselves to just characterizing the physico-chemical properties of the new material. The compound was used as an electrolyte in a typical Li4Ti5O12 half-cell. The half-cell performed well, in tests of running down and recharging 400 times it proved to be stable.

Promising steps have also been taken towards resolving another important issue. The lithium amide-borohydride described in the publication exhibited excellent ionic conductivity only at about 40 C. In the most recent experiments this has already been lowered to below room temperature.

Theoretically, however, the new material remains a challenge. Hitherto models have been constructed for substances in which the lithium ions move in an atomic environment. In the new material, ions move among light molecules that adjust their orientation to ease the lithium movement.

"In the proposed model, the excellent ionic conductivity is a consequence of the specific construction of the crystalline lattice of the tested material. This network in fact consists of two sub-lattices. It turns out that the lithium ions are present here in the elementary cells of only one sub-lattice. However, the diffusion barrier between the sub-lattices is low. Under appropriate conditions, the ions thus travel to the second, empty sub-lattice, where they can move quite freely," explains Prof. Lodziana.

The theoretical description presented here explains only some of the observed features of the new material. The mechanisms responsible for its high conductivity are certainly more complex. Their better understanding should significantly accelerate the search for optimal compounds for a solid-state electrolyte and consequently shorten the process of commercialization of new power sources that are most likely to revolutionize portable electronics.

Research Report: "A Lithium Amide-Borohydride Solid-State Electrolyte with Lithium-Ion Conductivities Comparable to Liquid Electrolytes"

ENERGY TECH
Corvus Energy wins contract to provide battery systems for hybrid fishing vessels
Richmond, Canada (SPX) Sep 13, 2017
Corvus Energy is pleased to announce that it has been selected by Norwegian maritime electronics firm Elmarin AS as the supplier of lithium ion based energy storage systems (ESS) for three new hybrid fishing vessels. The Orca Energy ESS from Corvus will supply electrical power to the fishing vessels' propulsion systems and electrical networks to enable environmentally-friendly and lower cost ope ... read more

Related Links
Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences
Powering The World in the 21st Century at Energy-Daily.com


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

ENERGY TECH
Voyager Spacecraft: 40 Years of Solar System Discoveries

Trump names former Navy aviator to head NASA

What's hot and what's not at Berlin's IFA tech fair

'Star Trek' actor Shatner sends message to Voyager

ENERGY TECH
Rocket fever launches UB students to engineering competition in New Mexico

NASA Concludes Summer of Testing with Fifth Flight Controller Hot Fire

ISRO suspects pyro elements failed to separate rocket's heat shield

Ariane 5 rocket aborts Guiana lift-off in final seconds

ENERGY TECH
Discovery of boron on Mars adds to evidence for habitability

Life on Mars: Let's Try Oman Desert First for Space Mission

Citizen scientists spot Martian 'spiders' in unexpected places

Big dishes band together

ENERGY TECH
China, Russia to Have Smooth Space Cooperation, Says Expert

Kuaizhou-11 to send six satellites into space

Russia, China May Sign 5-Year Agreement on Joint Space Exploration

ESA and Chinese astronauts train together

ENERGY TECH
Bids for government funding prove strong interest in LaunchUK

Blue Sky Network Reaffirms Commitment to Brazilian Market

India to Launch Exclusive Satellite for Afghanistan

Lockheed Martin invests $350M in state-of-the-art satellite production facility

ENERGY TECH
New microscopy method for quick and reliable 3-D imaging of curvilinear nanostructures

Chinese video site offers virtual escape from 'boring' reality

Chinese video site offers virtual escape from 'boring' reality

Molecules move faster near sticky surfaces

ENERGY TECH
Climate change for aliens

X-Rays Reveal Temperament of Possible Planet-Hosting Stars

Earth as Hybrid Planet: The Anthropocene Era in Astrobiological Context

Could TRAPPIST-1's Seven Earth-size Planets Have Gas Giant Siblings

ENERGY TECH
Pluto features given first official names

Jupiter's Auroras Present a Powerful Mystery

New Horizons Files Flight Plan for 2019 Flyby

Juno Scientists Prepare for Seventh Science Pass of Jupiter









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.