Instead of using sheets of copper, aluminium, nickel or steel, the system, developed by Graphenano Nanotechnologies and the Institute of Molecular Science (ICMol) of the University of Valencia, incorporates graphene to maximize safety, efficacy and sustainability.
This battery is also the first of its kind that will not burn or explode. “This system represents a revolution in terms of safety, since when conventional batteries are short-circuited they heat up, burn and cause fires that are difficult to put out unless it is done with copper powder or special processes,” he explained. the president of Graphenano Nanotechnologies, Martín Martínez. Because “the battery does not burn even in contact with water”, Martínez stressed that it is “a revolution in the field of safety”, eliminating any risk of accident. He continued: “It is the safest battery currently available in the world.
Along the same lines, Gonzalo Abellán, a researcher at the Institute of Molecular Sciences (ICMol), has defended that this new battery electrode processing system is significantly safer than the traditional one because “the metals have been eliminated from the collectors, which , along with lithium, can react, making batteries more dangerous.The system uses “graphene in the polymer blend” instead of sheets of copper, nickel aluminum or steel, resulting in “greater connectivity” and a 20-30%-30% reduction in weight and volume of the devices. The president continued: “Now we have a battery that can take advantage of the reduction in weight and volume to increase its energy density by up to 60 % and that can be used in any industry, from automotive to aviation to mobile devices.
It’s also less expensive than the current system, which is another benefit. Martínez affirms that by replacing a part of the metals with graphene and streamlining the manufacturing process, the cost is reduced. In this sense, he has said that “it will be seen very soon, but the price will drop between 20 and 30 percent compared to current batteries.” Graphenano estimates that, with the products CATL, the world’s largest battery manufacturer, produces, “5 to 6 billion dollars a year could be saved simply by removing these materials and reducing costs in the battery industry globally. it could reach 15,000 or 20,000 million dollars a year”, they add in a statement.
CO2 emissions are reduced by up to 50%.
Being metal-free from the collectors, this new system, which could be available very soon, will also reduce the negative effects of batteries on the environment. Martínez explained that “if they eliminate the metals that have to be extracted from the mines and there is little graphene included, which means that CO2 is being greatly reduced, between 40 and 50 percent.” As a result of “no copper, no aluminum and with fewer layers”, the new system is also more recyclable. “.
Gonzalo Abellán highlighted that the collaboration between the ICMol and Graphenano is an example of “the results with great potential” that can be achieved with joint work between researchers and companies “to achieve objectives such as the energy transition”. Abellán has pointed out that graphene will continue to be important in the market, “especially in sectors such as energy, both in batteries, such as supercapacitors, photovoltaic cells or catalysts”, and recalled that this mineral “has opened a new door to science and to society, that of two-dimensional materials”. Supercapacitors and rechargeable alkaline batteries that only use water as electrolyte are two other projects in which Graphenano and ICMol are collaborating, in addition to the development of lithium batteries. At the same time, he continued, “also We are promoting the carbonaceous nanomaterials that the company produces through chemical procedures.
