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Arndt Remhof's team has developed a solid electrolyte that facilitates good mobility of sodium ions at 20 degrees. This last point is crucial: ions require a source of heat in order to move, and inducing a reaction at room temperature poses a technical challenge. The electrolyte is also non-flammable and is chemically stable up to 300 degrees, which addresses the various safety concerns associated with lithium-ion batteries. Hans Hagemann's team at the University of Geneva has been working in parallel to develop cheaper technology for the production of this new solid electrolyte.
Unlike lithium, there are huge reserves of sodium: it's one of the two components of table salt. "Availability is our key argument", says Léo Duchêne of Empa and first author of the research paper. "However, it stores less energy than the equivalent mass of lithium and thus could prove to be a good solution if the size of the battery isn't a factor for its application."
Magnesium: the perfect but complex material
The same team has also developed a solid magnesium-based electrolyte. Until now, very little research had been done in this field. The fact that it is much more difficult to set this element in motion doesn't mean that it is any less attractive: it's available in abundance, it's light, and there's no risk of it exploding. But more importantly, a magnesium ion has two positive charges, whereas lithium only has one. Essentially, this means that it stores almost twice as much energy in the same volume.
Some experimental electrolytes have already been used to stimulate magnesium ions to move, but at temperatures in excess of 400 degrees. The electrolytes used by the Swiss scientists have already recorded similar conductivities at 70 degrees. "This is pioneering research and a proof of concept," says Elsa Roedern of Empa, who led the experiments. "We are still a long way from having a complete and functional prototype, but we have taken the first important step towards achieving our goal."
The energy density of a magnesium electrolyte would solve the EV range problem, if it is double lithium's.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by ledow on Wednesday May 03 2017, @10:19AM (4 children)
Only if you use the pure elements.
Sodium is dangerous, sodium-chloride is not, caustic soda (NaOH) is.
Same for lithium, magnesium and all the rest of the table.
Lithium can be used for nuclear purposes, lithium carbonate is a medicine and used for setting concrete.
Stop the "scary chemicals" junk, because in an average AA alkaline battery there's potassium hydroxide. And you don't see people freaking out about that.
And you're talking about devices that are containing hundreds of thousands of joules of energy - there's no way to do that without it having some reactivity and danger in certain circumstances (in the same way that everything from paraffin to petrol is highly flammable).
Energy-dense stuff contains a lot of energy that - if released all at once - is a bomb. This isn't shocking. Whether it's fuel, batteries, gases, or a supercapacitor. If you're expecting to move a ton of metal several hundred miles using a box of energy, that box of energy is a potential bomb.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday May 03 2017, @01:05PM
A bomb isn't shocking? Surely you jest.
(grin)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 3, Interesting) by JoeMerchant on Wednesday May 03 2017, @01:15PM
True, though diesel is much less scary than gasoline - and has a higher energy density to boot.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 2) by butthurt on Wednesday May 03 2017, @06:45PM (1 child)
> Sodium is dangerous, sodium-chloride is not [...] Same for lithium, magnesium [...]
By using magnesium for a significant portion of the engine block, BMW is able to reduce engine weight, reduce engine noise transmission and add strength.
[...]
Magnesium is already in widespread use where lightweight and high structural strength are needed. After seeing use in the aerospace industry, it is now being used in common items such as laptop computers, cordless power tools, and automotive components. At one time it was used to make racing wheels, hence the name “mag wheel”
-- http://www.autos.ca/auto-tech/auto-tech-bmws-30-litre-magnesiumaluminium-composite-engine-block/ [autos.ca]
Those fools! Don't they know?
(Score: 2) by Bogsnoticus on Thursday May 04 2017, @06:38AM
Mag wheels are great. Just ask Nikki Lauder.
Genius by birth. Evil by choice.