“There are many articles about “Battery Breakthrough” on the Internet, which are basically research results about energy storage. But you might be wondering, why can’t an EV go 1,000 miles before needing a charge?
“
Translated from – eeworldonline, Leland Teschler • Executive Editor
There are many articles about “Battery Breakthrough” on the Internet, which are basically research results about energy storage. But you might be wondering, why can’t an EV go 1,000 miles before needing a charge?
With all the hype, let’s think that today’s battery technology doesn’t need to be too advanced for a breakthrough. Is it really the truth? Below we’ll do a quick review of the “battery breakthrough” to figure out why our electric cars are still charging every night.
In fact, most technical reports are exaggerated. A typical “battery breakout” refers not to the battery itself at all. In fact, the answer is more likely still “in the flask in the laboratory”.
Unlike journalists gushing about, individual researchers are more likely to describe their achievements as building blocks, or promising progress on a potentially long road to commercialization.
For example, Nanotech Energy has made some “breakthroughs”, a start-up that hopes to produce an entirely new battery within a year that can charge “18 times faster than any battery currently on the market.” But so far it has only made graphene inks.
Graphene, in fact, exists in nature, but it is difficult to peel off a single-layer structure. Layers of graphene are graphite, with carbon atoms arranged in a group of hexagonal honeycomb lattices. Graphite 1 mm thick contains about 3 million layers of graphene. The layers are loosely attached and slide easily, making the graphite very soft and prone to exfoliation. A pencil scratches lightly on the paper, and the traces left may be several layers of graphene. It is only one atom thick, a million times thinner than a human hair, and 200 times stronger than steel. It conducts electricity better than copper. In fact, it’s better at conducting and conducting electricity than anything. It’s extremely flexible – bendable and malleable – impermeable, transparent, completely organic…and that’s just what beginners know. Graphene promises to enable energy storage devices with several new capabilities not available with current technology. Nanotech Energy is working to make this dream a reality.
In addition, there is an electrolyte developed at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory that inhibits the growth of dendrites on the battery anode, preventing it from causing the battery to fail. The electrolyte is flexible enough to form a laminate between the anode and the battery separator on a roll of lithium foil. But it will take a while.
Similarly, Sila Nanotechnology has proposed a “nanocomposite” of silicon and other materials to replace graphite in electrodes. Sila says its products will increase battery capacity by 20-40%. But Sila doesn’t actually make batteries. The company hopes to get the technology into the hands of companies that actually make batteries next year.
Scientists at Washington State University made similar findings. By adding some key chemicals to the cathode and electrolyte to form a protective layer on the surface of the lithium metal anode, the researchers were able to prevent dendrites from forming on the electrode and ultimately shorting out the battery. The team believes the process can be integrated into existing manufacturing processes. But no battery manufacturer has tried it yet.
The implication is that many of the reports touted as breakthroughs sound like substantial progress, but very few involve actual batteries. QuantumScape is one of them. They published test data for solid-state electrolyte batteries, showing that solid-electrolyte-based batteries can be charged to 80% in 15 minutes. But QuantumScape cells are just one layer in a true battery structure.
It remains to be seen whether QuantumScape will be able to scale up and produce entire battery packs on an industrial scale. The Volkswagen Group is interested and says that if it goes well, it hopes to use the batteries in cars in 2024 or 2025. Its technology is still about five years away from commercialization.
So the next time you see a headline announcing a major “breakthrough” in battery technology, you should think about whether this is still in the laboratory stage.
author of this article
“There are many articles about “Battery Breakthrough” on the Internet, which are basically research results about energy storage. But you might be wondering, why can’t an EV go 1,000 miles before needing a charge?
“
Translated from – eeworldonline, Leland Teschler • Executive Editor
There are many articles about “Battery Breakthrough” on the Internet, which are basically research results about energy storage. But you might be wondering, why can’t an EV go 1,000 miles before needing a charge?
With all the hype, let’s think that today’s battery technology doesn’t need to be too advanced for a breakthrough. Is it really the truth? Below we’ll do a quick review of the “battery breakthrough” to figure out why our electric cars are still charging every night.
In fact, most technical reports are exaggerated. A typical “battery breakout” refers not to the battery itself at all. In fact, the answer is more likely still “in the flask in the laboratory”.
Unlike journalists gushing about, individual researchers are more likely to describe their achievements as building blocks, or promising progress on a potentially long road to commercialization.
For example, Nanotech Energy has made some “breakthroughs”, a start-up that hopes to produce an entirely new battery within a year that can charge “18 times faster than any battery currently on the market.” But so far it has only made graphene inks.
Graphene, in fact, exists in nature, but it is difficult to peel off a single-layer structure. Layers of graphene are graphite, with carbon atoms arranged in a group of hexagonal honeycomb lattices. Graphite 1 mm thick contains about 3 million layers of graphene. The layers are loosely attached and slide easily, making the graphite very soft and prone to exfoliation. A pencil scratches lightly on the paper, and the traces left may be several layers of graphene. It is only one atom thick, a million times thinner than a human hair, and 200 times stronger than steel. It conducts electricity better than copper. In fact, it’s better at conducting and conducting electricity than anything. It’s extremely flexible – bendable and malleable – impermeable, transparent, completely organic…and that’s just what beginners know. Graphene promises to enable energy storage devices with several new capabilities not available with current technology. Nanotech Energy is working to make this dream a reality.
In addition, there is an electrolyte developed at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory that inhibits the growth of dendrites on the battery anode, preventing it from causing the battery to fail. The electrolyte is flexible enough to form a laminate between the anode and the battery separator on a roll of lithium foil. But it will take a while.
Similarly, Sila Nanotechnology has proposed a “nanocomposite” of silicon and other materials to replace graphite in electrodes. Sila says its products will increase battery capacity by 20-40%. But Sila doesn’t actually make batteries. The company hopes to get the technology into the hands of companies that actually make batteries next year.
Scientists at Washington State University made similar findings. By adding some key chemicals to the cathode and electrolyte to form a protective layer on the surface of the lithium metal anode, the researchers were able to prevent dendrites from forming on the electrode and ultimately shorting out the battery. The team believes the process can be integrated into existing manufacturing processes. But no battery manufacturer has tried it yet.
The implication is that many of the reports touted as breakthroughs sound like substantial progress, but very few involve actual batteries. QuantumScape is one of them. They published test data for solid-state electrolyte batteries, showing that solid-electrolyte-based batteries can be charged to 80% in 15 minutes. But QuantumScape cells are just one layer in a true battery structure.
It remains to be seen whether QuantumScape will be able to scale up and produce entire battery packs on an industrial scale. The Volkswagen Group is interested and says that if it goes well, it hopes to use the batteries in cars in 2024 or 2025. Its technology is still about five years away from commercialization.
So the next time you see a headline announcing a major “breakthrough” in battery technology, you should think about whether this is still in the laboratory stage.
author of this article
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