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posted by Fnord666 on Wednesday May 03 2017, @09:08AM   Printer-friendly
from the more-flammable-metals dept.

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.


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  • (Score: 2) by Hyperturtle on Wednesday May 03 2017, @02:45PM (1 child)

    by Hyperturtle (2824) on Wednesday May 03 2017, @02:45PM (#503651)

    As long as we're in the business of diluting solutions in the search for a cure to energy problems, why not go for broke and promote homeopathic batteries? If we can dilute the water enough, it can run on fumes and vapor! Just like the cloud!

    I wonder if there has been research done on appropriately strong enough rubber bands that can cooperate in the pressurized gas release to spin a propeller fast enough to move the car? We could add a hand crank in the front to get it wound up and then rely on nothing but potential energy to propell us into the future!

    Add some solar panels and wifi (to best keep tabs on the occupant and monetize the experience) and we can have a consumer model self-driving car that needs no fuel except for the sweat and tears (sodium and water) of the frustrated passenger who only has to get out and crank it now and then, perhaps when its stuck in traffic--which creates more fuel in the process via the physical exertion. Display nothing but ads inside (perhaps a google car concept?) and we may increase the potential mileage even further via biometric feedback of the frustration levels.

    Running out of gas? Maybe a few more untargeted and unskippable ads that have nothing to do with anything you would ever be interested in can be enough to get you frustrated enough to provide enough fuel to get you to your destination!

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  • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Thursday May 04 2017, @12:46PM

    by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Thursday May 04 2017, @12:46PM (#504293) Journal

    As long as we're in the business of diluting solutions in the search for a cure to energy problems, why not go for broke and promote homeopathic batteries? If we can dilute the water enough, it can run on fumes and vapor! Just like the cloud!

    Patent pending.

    I wonder if there has been research done ... frustrated enough to provide enough fuel to get you to your destination!

    Patent expired [youtube.com]

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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford