Aether’s nano-machines: From super-cheap lithium to brand new molecules

Nano-engineering happens all day long in our bodies, and California startup Aether is designing and testing millions of new enzymes to do a range of other useful tasks – like directly extracting battery-grade lithium from sources nobody else can use.Co… Continue reading Aether’s nano-machines: From super-cheap lithium to brand new molecules

Fast, low-cost direct lithium extraction could avert a supply crisis

Canadian company Volt Lithium has developed and pilot-tested a new low-cost lithium extraction method to pull this critical battery metal out of low-concentration brines. Now it plans to turn old oil fields into lithium production operations.Continue R… Continue reading Fast, low-cost direct lithium extraction could avert a supply crisis

Chinese scientists push lithium batteries up to a record 711 Wh/kg

Tesla’s 4680 cells, for comparison, measure somewhere between 244-296 Wh/kg. So the extreme-density cells recently tested in Beijing represent a huge leap forward from the status quo – even if they’re solely focused on maximizing a single metric.Contin… Continue reading Chinese scientists push lithium batteries up to a record 711 Wh/kg

Crabs give scientists a leg up in cheap rechargeable battery design

While consumers of crabs know just what the core of a crustacean has to offer, scientists are increasingly looking at the animal’s exoskeleton for novel medicine and biotechnology.Continue ReadingCategory: TechnologyTags: Lithium metal, Batteries, Sust… Continue reading Crabs give scientists a leg up in cheap rechargeable battery design

Magnetically stirred electrolyte puts high-density batteries in the mix

Next-generation batteries could take on many forms, but one design that scientists are pinning a lot of hope on involves the use of lithium metal. The excellent energy density of this material could see batteries power smartphones for days at a time, a… Continue reading Magnetically stirred electrolyte puts high-density batteries in the mix

MIT advance paves way for high-density batteries that handle stress

The field of battery research is riddled with roadblocks and bottlenecks, but there is one problem that rears its head more than most. Branch-like growths called dendrites continue to plague next-gen battery designs of many types, but new MIT-led resea… Continue reading MIT advance paves way for high-density batteries that handle stress

World’s first electric lithium mine: Birth of an American supply chain

As the world rushes toward “the greatest disconnect between supply and demand in the history of commodities,” Snow Lake Lithium CEO Philip Gross talks us through his company’s plans to open the world’s first all-electric lithium mine in Canada.Continue… Continue reading World’s first electric lithium mine: Birth of an American supply chain

Lithium metal battery charges fast by stowing ions in a hollow core

Scientists at South Korea’s National Research Council of Science & Technology have demonstrated a promising new battery architecture, and one that could lead to big improvements in capacity and charge times. The breakthrough stems from a new design for… Continue reading Lithium metal battery charges fast by stowing ions in a hollow core

Powder brushed onto electrodes brings high-capacity batteries closer

Of the many different designs being explored by scientists in pursuit of better batteries, lithium-metal is an architecture that holds great potential. One problem holding the technology back, however, is the formation of tentacle-like growths called d… Continue reading Powder brushed onto electrodes brings high-capacity batteries closer

Bumpy electrode makes for smooth battery operation at sub-zero temps

As the source of power for electric cars and many other modes of clean transportation, improvements in battery technology stand to benefit vehicle performance in a number of important ways. This includes not just range figures but how well they can ope… Continue reading Bumpy electrode makes for smooth battery operation at sub-zero temps