Folded or cut, this lithium-sulfur battery keeps going

19-Sep-2024 - Most rechargeable batteries that power portable devices, such as toys, handheld vacuums and e-bikes, use lithium-ion technology. But these batteries can have short lifetimes and may catch fire when damaged. To address stability and safety issues, researchers reporting in ACS Energy Letters have ...

Completely stretchy lithium-ion battery for flexible electronics

This new way of creating fully stretchable, solid batteries could be a promising step forward for wearable or implantable devices that flex and move with the body

19-Jul-2024 - When you think of a battery, you probably don’t think stretchy. But batteries will need this shape-shifting quality to be incorporated into flexible electronics, which are gaining traction for wearable health monitors. Now, researchers in ACS Energy Letters report a lithium-ion battery with ...

Scientists convert chicken fat into energy storage devices

Cost-effective method for converting waste chicken fat into electrically conductive nanostructures

14-May-2024 - The global move toward more sustainable, green energy has increased power reserves and the demand for energy storage devices. Unfortunately, some materials for these devices can be expensive and environmentally problematic. Producing alternative energy storage devices from things that are usually ...

This salt battery harvests osmotic energy where the river meets the sea

26-Apr-2024 - Estuaries — where freshwater rivers meet the salty sea — are great locations for birdwatching and kayaking. In these areas, waters containing different salt concentrations mix and may be sources of sustainable, “blue” osmotic energy. Researchers in ACS Energy Letters report creating a ...

Next-generation batteries could go organic, cobalt-free for long-lasting power

22-Jan-2024 - In the switch to “greener” energy sources, the demand for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries is surging. However, their cathodes typically contain cobalt — a metal whose extraction has high environmental and societal costs. Now, researchers in ACS Central Science report evaluating an ...

Crab shells could help power the next generation of rechargeable batteries

This work could help develop more sustainable battery technologies

15-Mar-2023 - Anybody who has ever enjoyed fresh crab legs or lobster tails can attest to how difficult it is to get through their tough shells. But instead of just throwing them away, researchers are “upcycling” these shells into porous, carbon-filled materials with a wide variety of uses. Now, a team ...

Putting the brakes on lithium-ion batteries to prevent fires

New technology could make Li-ion batteries safer without having to sacrifice their performance

17-Nov-2022 - Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are used to power everything from smart watches to electric vehicles, thanks to the large amounts of energy they can store in small spaces. When overheated, however, they’re prone to catching fire or even exploding. But recent research published in ACS’ Nano Letters ...

Lithium-ion batteries that last longer in extreme cold

A lithium-ion battery made with a bumpy carbon-based anode material maintained its rechargeable storage capacity in extreme cold

13-Jun-2022 - When temperatures fall below freezing, cellphones need to be recharged frequently, and electric cars have shorter driving ranges. This is because their lithium-ion batteries’ anodes get sluggish, holding less charge and draining energy quickly. To improve electrical performance in the extreme ...

Can ionic liquids transform chemistry?

07-Feb-2020 - Table salt is a commonplace ingredient in the kitchen, but a different kind of salt is at the forefront of chemistry innovation. Low-temperature molten salts known as ionic liquids are said to be "greener" and safer than traditional solvents. According to an article in Chemical & Engineering ...

Expanding the temperature range of lithium-ion batteries

24-Jun-2019 - Electric cars struggle with extreme temperatures, mainly because of impacts on the electrolyte solutions in their lithium-ion batteries. Now, researchers have developed new electrolytes containing multiple additives that work better over a wide temperature range. Lithium-ion batteries are widely ...