Created a safe battery that will not explode in the heat
University of Australia scientists have created a new lithium-sulfur battery for smartphones and other electronic devices, with improved capacity and increased protection against possible bloating or spontaneous combustion. The development is still a prototype, although researchers are already preparing its entry into the mass market. Lithium-ion batteries used in modern gadgets are not without drawbacks. Over time, they begin to discharge faster, and can even explode in the heat. The new development is designed to correct the main shortcomings of modern batteries and, according to its creators, has a number of prospects, for example, the battery capacity of a smartphone can quadruple. New batteries could revolutionize the production of computers, mobile devices and even electric cars. Smartphones with such a battery can work in active mode for up to 5 days, and an electric car can travel up to 1000 kilometers on a single charge. At the same time, batteries created using the new technology are even safer: over time they do not swell, and when damaged or in response to an increased temperature of the environment, they do not catch fire or explode.
The Australian-engineered smartphone battery features a special design. It is based on the same materials as in standard modern lithium-ion batteries, but the structure of its sulfur cathode has undergone revision. Its new structure is based on the principle of the formation of a bond between particles, which was first discovered in the 70s during the production of washing powder. In addition to the converted sulfur cathode, the battery contains liquid salt as an ionic electrolyte. Such liquids are resistant to spontaneous combustion, which provides the new battery with additional points in terms of safety and, moreover, begin to work even more efficiently during heating. Therefore, a battery with such an electrolyte does not need powerful and expensive cooling systems. As a result, the upgraded cathodes have become more resistant to stress without compromising battery performance and capacity. In addition, the newly developed smartphone battery is cheaper to manufacture and, in addition to all the benefits, the lithium-sulfur battery is more environmentally friendly and has less environmental impact when compared to its lithium-ion counterparts. A team of scientists plans to lead their development to commercial success. The first steps have already been taken for this. The researchers obtained a manufacturing patent and prototypes of the cells. Test tests of new batteries will start this year. According to some reports, the largest European and Chinese battery manufacturers are already interested in the project. The Topic of Article: Created a safe battery that will not explode in the heat. |
