Finally Up and Running
Silicon-air batteries are viewed as a promising and cost-effective alternative to current energy storage technology. However, they have thus far only achieved relatively short running times. Jülich researchers have now discovered why.
In theory, silicon-air batteries have a much higher energy density and are also smaller and lighter than current lithium-ion batteries. They are also environmentally friendly and insensitive to external influences. Their most important advantage, however, is their material. Silicon is the second most abundant element in the Earth’s crust after oxygen: it is cheap and its reserves are practically inexhaustible.
However, the silicon-air battery does still have a few crucial blemishes: for example, the flow of current stops after a relatively short period of time. Only assumptions have been made thus far as to why this is the case: does a protective layer form spontaneously on the silicon anode? Is the electrolyte at all suitable? Is there a problem with the air electrode? Attempts to rectify this problem by improving the components have proven to be less than successful. The best result was achieved through the use of a special, high-quality electrolyte based on an ionic liquid. This helped increase the battery’s running time to several hundred hours, but contradicted the fundamental idea of the battery: to provide a cost-effective alternative to lithium-ion batteries.
Scientists at Jülich’s Institute of Energy and Climate Research (IEK) suspect another cause for the short running time: the consumption of the electrolyte. As part of the AlSiBat project funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the researchers developed a pump system in which the electrolyte fluid – potassium hydroxide dissolved in water – was refilled from time to time. “If the silicon anode remains in contact with the electrolyte, the battery will continue running,” explains Hermann Tempel from the IEK’s Fundamental Electrochemistry. The battery is thus able to achieve a running time of over 1,100 hours, or almost 46 days, he adds. “Until the silicon is fully used up. The battery can subsequently be recharged by exchanging the anode, in other words mechanically.”
The scientists are now looking for a way to keep the battery running without having to refill the electrolyte. “We need to stop the battery from self-discharging,” explains Hermann Tempel, noting how this leads to the electrolyte fluid being used up. Additives in the electrolyte could help here, he says. “The battery is not yet perfect, but we now know what we have to work on.”
Learn more: Finally Up and Running
The Latest on: Silicon-air battery
[google_news title=”” keyword=”Silicon-air battery” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Silicon-air battery
- Here's every M4 Mac Apple is going to release in 2024/5 — the next generation of Apple silicon is closer than you thinkon April 19, 2024 at 9:00 am
Welcome back to The Core, where the big news in Apple this week is a leak of Apple’s entire 2024/5 Apple silicon Mac lineup and the advent ... The most recent Mac was the M3 MacBook Air, and the next ...
- Lilium Kicks Off eVTOL Battery Pack Production – AIN, April 18on April 18, 2024 at 3:56 pm
Lilium announced it started production on the lithium ion with silicon dominant anodes battery packs for its Lilium eVTOL jet aircraft, AIN reported. The company plans to conduct its first ...
- M2 MacBook Air models are available starting at $849 with $150 savingson April 18, 2024 at 2:42 pm
Take advantage of the latest Apple deals, where you will find the M2-powered MacBook Air, AirPods Pro, and more on sale ...
- Lilium starts assembling battery packs for first crewed eVTOL flighton April 16, 2024 at 6:17 am
VTOL developer Lilium has started assembling battery packs to perform first crewed flight before the end of 2024 ...
- Lilium begins producing battery packs to power its eVTOL jeton April 16, 2024 at 4:31 am
German advanced air mobility developer Lilium has begun producing battery packs designed to power its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) jet on its first piloted flight, scheduled for the ...
- ELECTRON Aerospace secured major orders from Air2E and Hopscotch Airon April 12, 2024 at 4:40 am
This partnership underscores the shared commitment of ELECTRON aerospace, Air2E, and Hopscotch Air to promoting an eco-friendly and economically viable future in aviation ...
- Microsoft thinks Arm Windows laptops will eclipse M3 MacBook Air performance this yearon April 9, 2024 at 5:51 am
While Apple just launched the new M3 MacBook Air, Microsoft is apparently convinced that its upcoming family of Arm ...
- MacBook Air M3 Review (2024): Fantastic When You Need It, Expensive If You Don'ton March 29, 2024 at 1:16 pm
The storage situation, complemented by the M3 silicon's gains ... Apple touts up to 18 hours of battery life for the M3 generation MacBook Air. I couldn't quite reach those figures, but the ...
- Apple Silicon: The Complete Guideon March 29, 2024 at 6:33 am
Apple in 2020 introduced the first Apple silicon Macs, marking the start of ... including the MacBook Air and the entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro. The M3 Pro is for the 14 and 16-inch ...
- All the ways Intel Macs are still better than Apple Silicon Macson March 26, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Thanks to the efficiency of Apple Silicon, you get all-day battery life, as well as the ability to edit videos when unplugged from power. The new MacBook Air with the M3 chip is even good enough ...
via Bing News