Scientists at Texas A&M University have been investigating metal-free aqueous batteries and have discovered up to 1,000% greater energy storage capacity than conventional batteries. Dr. Jodie Lutkenhaus and Dr. Daniel Tabor have led this research that could solve the shortage of strategic metals and the safety problems of lithium-ion batteries. These batteries are made of a cathode, an electrolyte and an anode, like a normal battery, but in this case the anodes and cathodes are polymers that can store energy and the electrolyte is water mixed with organic salts.
The need to have better control over the national supply chain of strategic metals, such as cobalt and lithium, is one of the reasons why this technology has been investigated.
If an electrode swells too much during the cycle, it can’t conduct electrons very well and all performance is lost. I think there is a 1,000% difference in energy storage capacity, depending on the choice of electrolyte due to swelling effects.
Dr. Jodie Lutkenhaus, Professor of Chemical Engineering.
The article mentions that redox-active unconjugated radical polymers may be a promising option for metal-free aqueous batteries, as they have high discharge voltage and fast redox kinetics. However, the energy storage mechanism of these polymers in an aqueous medium is still poorly understood due to the complexity of the reaction and the simultaneous transfer of electrons, ions, and water molecules. The researchers believe that these metal-free batteries could be a solution to potential shortages of metals such as cobalt and lithium, as well as prevent battery fires.
There would be no more battery fires because they are water based. In the future, if material shortages are expected, the price of lithium-ion batteries will go up a lot. If we have this alternative battery, we can turn to this chemistry, the supply of which is much more stable because we can make it here in the United States, and the materials to make it are here.
Dra. Jodie Lutkenhaus
The research team also carried out computational simulations and analyses, which provided a molecular-scale microscopic picture of structure and dynamics. They observed whether the battery’s cathode performed better in the presence of certain types of salts by measuring exactly how much water and salt entered the battery while it was running.
With this new energy storage technology, a step forward towards lithium-free batteries is taken. We have a better picture at the molecular level of what makes some battery electrodes work better than others, and this gives us strong evidence of where to go in material design.
Dra. Jodie Lutkenhaus
Via tamu.edu
