lithium-ion battery Archives – The Green Optimistic

PNNL’s New EV Battery: 7x Longer Lifespan, 2 to 3 Times Longer Range

Janina Lazo-Cruz — Mon, 02 Apr 2018 19:26:06 +0000

The transport sector remains a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and electric vehicles can eliminate this generation of pollutants. Still, there are factors that remain challenges to electric mobility. The miles an electric vehicle can drive before it runs out of charge is almost half of the miles a petroleum/diesel-fueled vehicle can drive before […]

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Hyundai: EV Battery Prices to Stop Declining by 2020

Janina Lazo-Cruz — Thu, 14 Dec 2017 20:10:31 +0000

Being the most expensive part of electric vehicles, batteries are the key to the affordability of green vehicles, and the latter’s sales and technological trends. In the past few years, lithium-ion batteries were decreasing at a fast rate, averaging 12 percent per year, making the mass production of green vehicles cheaper. However, the South Korean […]

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Lithium Market to Growing With Increased Demand for EVs

Jose Aguilar — Sat, 18 Nov 2017 19:14:57 +0000

NEW YORK, The United States – Allied Market Research reported the Global Lithium-ion Battery Market size to peak $46.21 billion by 2022, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.8%. Li-ion rechargeable batteries, made of high-density units, power mainly portable equipment. The expected growth of the Lithium market is to come primarily from increased […]

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China Now Dominates Market for Lithium-ion Battery Components

Janina Lazo-Cruz — Sat, 23 Sep 2017 19:57:52 +0000

About ten years ago, Japan was leading the industry of lithium-ion battery materials. Now the lead shifted to China mainly because of the country’s very low labor costs and less strict environmental standards. This shift can be alarming in terms of environmental hazards, especially in the coming decades that electric vehicles and home energy storage […]

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How Ceramic Electrodes Could Triple Li-Ion Batteries’ Efficiency

Ece Polat — Mon, 03 Apr 2017 18:22:13 +0000

The Universidad Carlos III de Madrid and the Council for Scientific Research have found a way to make ceramic electrodes for lithium-ion batteries. These electrodes are not only cheaper, but they are more efficient, resistant, and safer than regular batteries. An electric battery converts chemical energy to electricity; meanwhile, it uses two electrodes (anode and […]

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Recycling Lithium and Cobalt from Batteries Now More Efficient

Ece Polat — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 07:41:24 +0000

The International Journal of Energy Technology and Policy has published a research that introduces a new method of extracting lithium and cobalt from the batteries. This carries an important factor in the future of rechargeable lithium ion batteries as they power many electronics, electric vehicles, and more. A common problem of these batteries is that […]

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Beat Winter with a Self-Heating Battery

Samantha Joe — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 16:45:40 +0000

Researchers believe they have found the next way to cure winter blues – for electric vehicle battery technology, anyways. A lithium-ion battery that heats on its own when the temperature is below 32° F could be used in many ways. The team of scientists believes it will be most impactful for electric vehicle owners who […]

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Chevy Volt Hypermilers Rejoice, 2016 Volt Offers 53 Miles Emissions-Free!

Benji Jerew — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 16:10:58 +0000

General Motors asked what Chevy Volt owners wanted more of, and the overwhelming response was “more range!” With the introduction of the 2016 Chevy Volt, everything is better, particularly range and fuel economy. First, General Motors upgraded the 17.1 kWh lithium-ion battery pack to 18.4 kWh. According to EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) estimates, this gives […]

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Solar Impulse 2 Finally Reaches Hawaii

Annika Tostengard — Fri, 03 Jul 2015 19:16:36 +0000

The world’s first solar energy plane landed in Kalaeloa Airport around six AM this morning after flying all the way from Japan across the Pacific. Andre Borschberg, the pilot, reportedly made the landing very gently. He has gotten almost no sleep this week, but he has just broken the record for the longest manned, solar-powered flight. Borschberg spent […]

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Lithium-Ion Battery Enhanced with Recycled Packing Peanuts – Purdue University

Benji Jerew — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 19:34:03 +0000

Purdue University researchers stumbled upon an even better electrode material than currently used in the lithium-ion battery, made even better because it involved recycled packing peanuts. If you’ve ever shopped online, especially for something delicate, you’ve probably received an oversized box, your item, and a bunch of starch-based or polystyrene-based packing peanuts. Now, because I […]

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BYD’s New Gigafactory Could Lower Lithium-Ion Battery Prices

Benji Jerew — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 17:25:22 +0000

As discussed, one of the things that keeps electric vehicles expensive, particularly with regard to their range per charge, is the price of lithium-ion battery packs. Chinese automaker BYD already produced a number of electric vehicles, even electric buses, and says it will triple its capacity in the next three years, putting it just about […]

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Electric Vehicle Battery Prices Forced Down by VW

Benji Jerew — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 20:22:38 +0000

Demand and deployment for electric vehicles remains low, but automakers tend to agree that the technology could be the biggest shift in automotive technology since the invention of the automatic transmission. The problem, of course, that electric vehicle batteries are far more expensive than any conventional powertrain. A brand new four-cylinder engine might cost $4,000, […]

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New Eco-Friendly Organic Battery Uses Recycled Lithium

Mila Luleva — Thu, 02 Oct 2014 07:41:47 +0000

Only time will tell which one of the numerous highly promising innovations in the field of energy storage will manage to steal the thunder from lithium-ion batteries. But while we wait to hear the verdict, here is the the latest contender for the top spot. A team of Swedish scientists decided to reuse lithium from […]

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Tesla Motors Researching Graphene to Boost Energy Storage Capacity

Benji Jerew — Sat, 30 Aug 2014 03:00:49 +0000

Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk said his company was working on something big, so we’re wondering if it has anything to do with this news report from China. Tesla Motors, as we’ve discussed before, isn’t simply an electric vehicle company, but an energy storage company. Plans for the Tesla Gigafactory are testament enough to that […]

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Nanotechnology Could Make Pure Lithium Battery Possible

Benji Jerew — Tue, 29 Jul 2014 14:08:40 +0000

Currently, most portable devices use lithium-ion battery technology, in spite of the fact that a pure lithium battery could offer much more capacity. The problem is with longevity, as a pure lithium battery may have 300% the capacity of a lithium-ion battery, but it can only be cycled between 50 and 100 times before it […]

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Toyota Solid-State Lithium-Ion Battery Hits 400 Wh/L

Benji Jerew — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 01:49:32 +0000

While Toyota is working hard to bring its hydrogen fuel cell cars to fruition, they haven’t left lithium-ion battery technology entirely. Even though most of Toyota’s hybrid fleet is still nickel-metal hydride (NiMH), energy density has forced the company to adopt lithium-ion battery technology in the Toyota Prius Plug-In. in comparison to NiMH, lithium-ion is […]

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Silicon Electrode Doubles Rechargeable Battery Capacity

Benji Jerew — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 01:19:19 +0000

Rechargeable battery technology has a lot of demands to meet, but a recent development more than doubles current capacities. To be considered acceptable for today’s mobile devices, whether they be smartphones, laptops, electric vehicles, or grid backup, a rechargeable battery needs to cover three basics. A good rechargeable battery has to be energy dense, be […]

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“Living Battery,” Better than Lithium-Ion?

Benji Jerew — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 21:35:30 +0000

Adam Freeman has created an algae-based “living battery,” but will it revolutionize rechargeable battery technology as we know it? In other words, could it even replace lithium-ion batteries? Currently, lithium-ion batteries are the best technology we have for portable electronic and electrical devices, from smartphones to electric vehicles. On the one hand, it’s a good […]

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Lithium-Ion Battery Lifespan Explained

Benji Jerew — Sat, 31 May 2014 00:45:10 +0000

The lithium-ion battery, like other rechargeable battery types, only has a few hundred cycles in it before its performance begins to degrade, although exactly “why” has been elusive. Actually, rechargeable battery degradation is the anti-EV cult’s main point, that the production and recycling of a lithium-ion battery could be worse than the emissions generated by […]

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The “Next Big Thing” After The Lithium-Ion Battery Will Be…

Benji Jerew — Thu, 22 May 2014 15:58:35 +0000

Well, the truth is, who knows what the next big thing will be after lithium-ion battery will be, but there are a number of companies working to find out. Currently, the lithium-ion battery is the best chemistry we have in rechargeable battery technology, but what is “best?” Well, there are a few criteria, which make […]

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General Motors’ New Chevy Spark EV Battery to be Built In-House

Benji Jerew — Sat, 17 May 2014 00:19:54 +0000

The 2014 Chevy Spark EV is powered by a 20 kWh lithium-ion battery, which General Motors has been outsourcing until now. The Chevy Spark EV was only the beginning of General Motors’ foray into modern electric vehicles, and a good start at that, even beating its conventional sister in Consumer Reports’ estimation. The lithium-ion battery […]

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Tesla Gigafactory to Break Ground – in Two States?

Benji Jerew — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 15:38:34 +0000

Tesla Motors is planning some big developments in the future, and a lot of those changes hinge on the Tesla Gigafactory. The Tesla Gigafactory, of course, could be Tesla Motors’ key to an affordable mass-market electric vehicle. Currently, Tesla Model S production takes up barely half of the Fremont, California, Tesla Motors factory, but Tesla […]

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Tesla Motors says “Shields Up!” Adds More Protection for Battery Pack

Benji Jerew — Fri, 04 Apr 2014 14:31:52 +0000

After three Tesla Model S fires last year, some have been wondering if electric vehicles truly have a place in our transportation future. Tesla Motors says yes! Of course, the three fires in question were highly unusual, one involving a Class III three-ball towing hitch that had fallen off a truck, and another involving a […]

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Tesla Motors to Source Gigafactory Raw Materials from North America

Benji Jerew — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 19:29:34 +0000

The Tesla Gigafactory, Tesla Motors brainchild, not only holds the promise of an electric-vehicle future in the United States, but much more. Tesla Motors has been extolled, by some at least, as an American success story and, in many ways, it is. True, a few hundred million dollars went out in loans, but the company […]

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“Graphite Rain” in China Linked to Lithium-Ion Battery Demand

Benji Jerew — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 15:13:13 +0000

Graphite is one of the main components in lithium-ion battery technology, which is found in everything from smartphones to electric vehicles. Unfortunately, shoddy graphite mining practices are exacerbating a big pollution problem. Think graphite, and what may come to mind is the graphite pencil (lead hasn’t been used in writing instruments for a few thousand […]

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Could the Sakti3 Next-Gen Lithium-Ion Battery Change the Market?

Benji Jerew — Mon, 24 Mar 2014 15:53:49 +0000

Current lithium-ion battery technology, while far better than SLA (sealed lead acid) or NiMH (nickel-metal hydride) battery technology, still has a couple of problems that prevent electric vehicles from taking the market by storm. The next-generation lithium-ion battery, or some other chemistry, will have to do better, whether it be in cost, energy density, or […]

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Green Process Creates New Nanoporous Materials, UConn

Benji Jerew — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 17:06:08 +0000

As our knowledge of chemistry continues to advance, we keep finding new ways to apply the same basic elements. Finding a green process that is better than conventional means just makes it even better. Thanks to a $420,000 grand from the Us Department of Energy’s division of Basic Energy Sciences, researchers at the University of […]

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BASF’s Readiness to Invest in Lithium-Ion Battery Research

Benji Jerew — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 16:19:43 +0000

The lithium-ion battery world, with the introduction of electric vehicles, has been shaken over the last few years, but that isn’t preventing BASF from taking an interest. The electric vehicle world has also been in a state of upheaval, birth pangs, if you will, dominated by Tesla Motors and Nissan’s Leaf electric vehicle. On the […]

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Pomegranate-Like Silicon Particles Bring Long-Lasting Li-Ion Batteries

Mila Luleva — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 18:39:42 +0000

Another breakthrough from researchers working on improvements of lithium-ion batteries, comes from Standford University and the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. The work presents a fascinating and long-expected way to replace heavy graphite in battery anodes by silicon, allowing the energy storage devices to be much smaller and lighter, hence perfect for all new-generation electronic devices. […]

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New Chemical Compound Might End Lithium-Ion Battery Fires

Mila Luleva — Wed, 12 Feb 2014 17:54:13 +0000

The flammability of lithium-ion batteries has become quite a major concern, especially when a number of accidents over the past year made the news agencies explode. When the Tesla Model S and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner caught fire, researchers turned their focus towards developing safer technologies. A number of advances are already being made in the field, […]

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Chewing Gum-Inspired Material Stops Leakage and Improves Safety of Li-Ion Batteries

Mila Luleva — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 21:05:06 +0000

Scientists seem to be getting their inspiration for innovative green ideas from all sorts of strange and unexpected sources nowadays. Biomimicry is of course the most common one, but already existing concepts and artificial products are doing the job just as well. A team of scientists from Washington State University created a material that can […]

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Tesla Motors Software Update Addresses Charger Issues

Benji Jerew — Thu, 26 Dec 2013 20:41:42 +0000

If it isn’t one thing, it’s another, but that’s not preventing Tesla Motors from making changes to address things that are not even under its control, such as the charging station a Tesla Model S is plugged into. Many people have heard that Tesla Motors‘ Tesla Model S, as well as other lithium-ion-powered vehicles, such […]

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Super-Thin Lithium-Ion Battery Brings Color and Style to Backup Energy Storage

Mila Luleva — Fri, 20 Dec 2013 18:20:19 +0000

Smart phone these days is the gadget that everybody has and it is almost considered a crime if you don’t have one. But to have all these extras that are accommodated in it, there is a cost, and this is not always measured in money. The biggest disadvantage of smart phones is the battery life. […]

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Thanks to Improved Lithium-Ion Battery Tech, is the Audi R8 E-Tron Back on Track?

Benji Jerew — Tue, 17 Dec 2013 16:37:03 +0000

Electric vehicles, to some automakers, are more financial trouble than they’re worth, which has left cars like the Toyota RAV4 EV and Audi R8 E-Tron at the mercy of cost-cutting measures and program cutbacks. It doesn’t have to be that way. After all, Tesla Model S is the only electric vehicle in the performance sedan […]

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Developing The Next-Generation Lithium-Ion Battery

Benji Jerew — Fri, 13 Dec 2013 21:49:25 +0000

This may sound like stale news, but the next-generation lithium-ion battery could come from a Bosch / Yuasa / Mitsubishi partnership. Various companies and governments have set goals and predictions for the adoption of electric vehicle, but it seems that we’re still somewhat behind on most of these goals. There are at least a couple […]

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Envia Systems’ 400Wh/kg Lithium-Ion Battery – Too Good To Be True?

Benji Jerew — Wed, 11 Dec 2013 16:58:44 +0000

A quiet little company with big problems, Envia Systems, originally developed a lithium-ion battery with an astounding 400Wh/kg energy density. Garnering millions of dollars in government and corporate investment, it seems that Envia Systems was well on its way to success. General Motors had put in $7 million toward the development of the new lithium-ion […]

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Envia Systems Advanced Lithium-Ion Battery Company Faces Legal Problems

Benji Jerew — Mon, 09 Dec 2013 22:06:04 +0000

Of course, A123 Systems was not the only lithium-ion battery company to arise just as plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles were coming onto the market. A123 Systems, an advanced lithium-ion battery manufacturer, and Fisker Automotive, maker of a high-end extended-range electric vehicle, might only be the most famous because of their failures. On the […]

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SolarCity Solar Power is More Appealing with Tesla Motors Backup Batteries

Benji Jerew — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 20:40:03 +0000

One residential solar power company that has managed to stay relevant, SolarCity, is upping its game-plan to make solar power even more appealing, by supplying backup power packs similar to the lithium-ion battery packs being used by Tesla Motors. Solar power has typically been played down because of the expense of solar panels and control […]

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Electric Vehicle Pricing Still, Mostly, Outside of Buyer’s Range

Benji Jerew — Tue, 03 Dec 2013 15:13:04 +0000

Recent studies have shown that those who are in the market for a new car, even those interested in electric vehicles, aren’t planning on spending more than $25,000. There are plenty of fuel efficient cars in this range, such as the Mini Cooper and the Toyota Prius, but you might be hard-pressed to find an […]

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New Self-healing Silicon Polymer Improves Capacity and Lifespan of Lithium-ion Batteries

Mila Luleva — Tue, 19 Nov 2013 15:37:32 +0000

Changing the size of silicon electrodes during charging and discharging of lithium-ion batteries has been identified as the main reason for decrease in battery performance over time, especially when it comes to high-capacity energy storage, like the one used in electric cars. Scientists from Stanford University, however, developed a polymer material, which has an incredible […]

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Move Over, Lithium-Ion Battery, Time for Something Leaner

Benji Jerew — Fri, 15 Nov 2013 12:33:44 +0000

The industry-leading electric vehicle, the Tesla Model S, uses a lithium-ion battery pack, pretty much like every other electric vehicle of repute, but is that as good as it gets? Rechargeable battery technology has indeed come a long way, but the evolution is slow. Nickel-cadmium [Ni-Cad] gave way to nickel-metal hydride [NiMH], which eventually gave […]

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Tesla Motors Considering its Own Lithium-Ion Battery Plant?

Benji Jerew — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 17:46:44 +0000

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors, has bold plans for the electric vehicle, but meeting that plan is probably worthless without an adequate supply of lithium-ion battery packs. The lithium-ion battery is to the Tesla Model S [and upcoming models] what chicken is to chicken soup. If you don’t have any chicken in the fridge, […]

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Will Tesla Motors Have to Build Its Own Lithium-Ion Battery Plant?

Benji Jerew — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 14:53:54 +0000

The Tesla Roadster and Tesla Model S have always been part of a much bigger Tesla Motors plan, one that has seemingly been executed flawlessly. The idea was simple: Start with a high-price low-volume electric vehicle to build interest in the product and fast profits. Then, pour those profits back into the company, along with […]

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Automobile Technology That Will Reduce Future Emissions

Benji Jerew — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 22:38:52 +0000

Automobile technology is constantly on the move, and today’s vehicles are safer, more efficient, more powerful, and cleaner than ever before in history. Tomorrow’s vehicles are here today, only they haven’t all congealed into a single marketable product. It usually goes that way with automobile technology. Theories abound until one company produces a product, and […]

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Embedded Sensors Could Improve Electric Vehicle Battery Packs

Benji Jerew — Wed, 04 Sep 2013 18:18:22 +0000

Electric vehicle battery packs aren’t as simple as a nickel-metal hydride [NiMH] rechargeable “AA” battery, but then, is even the rechargeable lithium-ion [Li-ion] battery that powers my laptop? Electric vehicles are significantly cleaner than their conventional counterparts, but can’t be driven exactly the same, that is, recharging on practically any corner after a few hundred […]

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Nissan Leaf Production to Increase, Battery Production Playing Catchup

Benji Jerew — Thu, 22 Aug 2013 20:24:05 +0000

Regarding pure electric vehicles available right now in the US, there are really only two contenders for the top sales spot, Tesla Model S and Nissan Leaf. Nissan Leaf and Tesla Motors are fighting at opposite end of the spectrum, regarding price and range and comfort options, which means they really aren’t in competition with […]

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Capacity of Lithium-Ion Batteries Determined by Graphite Wetting Behaviour

Mila Luleva — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 14:47:45 +0000

Researchers from University of Pittsburgh discovered that the performance of lithium-ion batteries and super capacitors made from graphite and graphene is affected by their exposure to water. The study published last week in Nature Materials shows that opposite to common beliefs graphite and graphene have hydrophilic properties. The idea for the research came as a […]

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Crab Shell Material Used to Boost Lithium Ion Batteries

Mila Luleva — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 12:13:48 +0000

Scientists from Stanford University developed a nanostructures from crab shells, containing sulfur or silicon, which have the potential to increase energy storage capacity of lithium-ion batteries, by allowing free expansion of the electrodes. The latest research in the field of material science seems to be heavily focused on finding the cheapest and most environmentally friendly […]

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Better Than Lithium-Ion, New Carbon Catalyst Developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory

Benji Jerew — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 14:49:37 +0000

Lithium-ion rechargeable battery technology is currently the most reliable energy storage that we have, having found its way into everything from portable electronic devices to hybrid electric jumbo jets. The main reason for this popularity is the longevity of the cells compared to their energy density. Some rechargeable batteries have particularly long life-spans, thousands of […]

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New Hydrogen-Silicon Electrodes Greatly Improve Lithium Ion Battery Performance and Life

Ovidiu Sandru — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 10:12:52 +0000

A new kind of electrodes for lithium ion batteries has been invented at Stanford University. They greatly improve the performance of a lithium ion battery and are made of silicon and conducting polymer hydrogel, a spongy material that resembles the one used in contact lenses. “We’ve been trying to develop silicon-based electrodes for high-capacity lithium-ion […]

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Lithium Ion Battery Production Has Unhealthy Effects, EPA Study Shows

Benji Jerew — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 18:19:01 +0000

According to a recent report by the US Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], in-use carbon dioxide emissions don’t tell the whole story of lithium-ion battery packs. Lithium-ion battery packs are the current best-technology for just about all electric vehicles and even some hybrid electric vehicles. In order to increase the range of an electric vehicle, a reliable and […]

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Graphene-Boron Compound Could Revolutionize Lithium-Ion Battery Capacity

Benji Jerew — Tue, 28 May 2013 17:14:30 +0000

Researchers have touted graphene as a game-changing material that could boost the power and energy capacity of a lithium-ion battery. Graphene, a film of carbon atoms just one atom thick, is an excellent conductor of electricity. In a battery, the massive surface area of such carbon sheets could be a boon to increasing the power […]

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Toyota Finally Venturing Into Lithium-Ion Batteries, In a Big Way!

Benji Jerew — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:24:23 +0000

Toyota’s hybrid electric vehicles look like their going to get a boost in power and efficiency in the next few years as they make the switch to lithium-ion battery technology. Nickel-Metal Hydride [NiMH] rechargeable battery technology has been around for years, is exceptionally reliable, and has been the mainstay of Toyota’s hybrid electric vehicle program […]

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Lithium-Ion Batteries Considered for International Space Station

Benji Jerew — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 19:14:58 +0000

In spite of fire concerns here on the ground, lithium-ion batteries could be best solution for backup power on the International Space Station. Just like we have concerns with renewable energy being intermittent here on the ground, the International Space Station [ISS] is entirely dependent on renewable energy. Solar panels provide energy when the sun […]

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Germanium-Based Battery 5 Times More Powerful

Ovidiu Sandru — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:23:14 +0000

A team of researchers at the University of Wollongong in Australia has developed a new type of battery that can hold up to 5 times the energy of already traditional lithium ion piles used in camcorders, phones and electric cars nowadays. The new battery uses a Germanium-based material and has the potential to double the […]

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Electrovaya Lithium-Ion Battery is Non-Toxic and Less-Prone to Fire

Benji Jerew — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 15:51:02 +0000

With concerns over lithium-ion battery flammability and toxicity, adoption of electric and electrified vehicles has been slower than it could have been. Case in point: Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Fisker Karma*. In response to this, manufacturers have been researching how to make their lithium-ion batteries safer. Electrovaya in Canada had to cut back on production […]

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Improved Battery Packs Test-Flown on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Will FAA Approve?

Benji Jerew — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 19:38:04 +0000

After fires aboard at least two Boeing 787 Dreamliner passenger aircraft, the entire fleet of fifty has been grounded since January. The advanced-technology Boeing 787 Dreamliner’s lithium-ion backup batteries are important because they serve as backup power for the plane’s fly-by-wire system. Switching from hydraulic controls to electrical controls, and other weight-saving measures, significantly reduce […]

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Long Lasting Li-Ion Batteries Developed by Hitachi Maxell

Mila Luleva — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:02:38 +0000

Real time monitoring of lithium (Li) ions in rechargeable batteries is now possible thanks to a new technology developed by the Japanese giant in manufacturing of consumer electronics, Hitachi Maxell Ltd. The company also developed a Li-ion battery with 1.6 times higher energy density than their latest product. The technology, which can quantify the distribution of the reaction […]

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Lithium-ion Battery Life Improved by Silicon Beads

Mila Luleva — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 20:49:09 +0000

The latest innovation in silicon-based lithium-ion battery technology is much more resilient and can boosts energy density. Silicon-nano beads, designed by researchers at the University of Maryland NanoCenter, are found to store nearly 10-times more energy than conventional lithium-ion batteries that use graphene anode. The technology is made of organic molecules attached to tiny nanotubes. […]

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New Boeing 787 Dreamliner Battery Box Should Mitigate Fire Concerns

Benji Jerew — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 12:58:42 +0000

After smoke erupted from the lithium-ion battery pack aboard one Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and fire in another, the Federal Aviation Administration [FAA] grounded the whole fleet. After weeks of testing though, neither FAA investigators nor Boeing engineers have been able to determine the cause of the smoke and fire in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner’s battery. […]

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Study Shows How to Stop Lithium Dendrite Formation in Batteries

Ovidiu Sandru — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 08:58:17 +0000

When they charge, lithium ion batteries form so-called “dendrites” that limit recharging speed. They can also destroy a battery by internal short circuit. Researchers have now found a solution that impedes their formation. Instead of being charged in hours, electric car batteries could be juiced up in minutes and could last more years than current […]

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LITX G700, The Graphene Additive That May Boost Electric Car Batteries

Ovidiu Sandru — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 15:19:25 +0000

A new graphene-based additive for lithium ion batteries has been launched by Cabot Corp. The company claims that their LITX G700 can effectively upgrade the energy-storing performance. Cabot’s conductive additive has been designed specially for electric vehicle usage and high-end consumer electronics, but it’s cheaper then other additives, namely carbon nanotubes. The LITX G700 occupies […]

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Lithium-Sulfur Battery with Lifespan of Lithium-Ion, Invented at Stanford

Benji Jerew — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 19:51:57 +0000

Researchers at Stanford University have recently discovered how they can increase the lifespan of lithium-sulfur batteries, by up to ten times. Lithium-ion batteries may be the accepted norm for most automotive traction applications, and with good reason. Lithium-ion can withstand thousands of cycles without losing too much of their capacity, and they are the most energy-dense batteries […]

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Military Jets Using Lithium-Ion Batteries in Spite of Boeing 787 Issues

Benji Jerew — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 20:00:17 +0000

Military jets will continue to use lithium ion batteries, according to the Pentagon. Their batteries have other manufacturers than Boeing’s, says official. If there is anything that separates military equipment from civilian equipment, aside from it being more advanced, is redundancy. Where your typical automobile has only one engine control unit, a military vehicle might […]

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Silicon Nanowire Battery Has Three Times More Capacity, Charges Faster

Benji Jerew — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 20:55:34 +0000

Researchers at the University of California [USC] recently developed a silicon nanowire battery that could easily solve the range and recharging issues of electric vehicles. If there’s one problem with electric vehicles, it’s the battery. Actually, the problem isn’t the battery, but our perception of it. Pure electric vehicles have a limited range, up to 300 miles […]

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Leyden Energy – Plenty of Innovation Left in Lithium Batteries

Benji Jerew — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 18:07:16 +0000

Currently, the best rechargeable battery technology that we have available, whether it be for laptops, mobile devices, smartgrid applications, or electric vehicles [EV], is lithium-ion [Li-ion]. There are other battery chemistries out there that promise increased capacity and efficiency, but haven’t been perfected yet, and this is part of the reason why, especially in relation […]

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Strong Nanomaterials from Snails Improve Solar Cells and Lithium-ion Batteries

Mila Luleva — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 19:10:56 +0000

A recent paper published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials, reveals how the largest type of chitons- gumboot chitons, can contribute to improving solar cells and lithium-ion batteries. Professor David Kisailus, from the University of California, Riverside’s Bourns College of Engineering, together with his team of students and scientists at Harvard University, University in Cambridge […]

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A New Cheaper and Safer Li-ion Battery Production Method

Mila Luleva — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 16:42:47 +0000

It is a well-known fact that lithium-ion batteries are taking over the world with the increased demand for powering electric cars. It is also very well-known, however, that the process of producing these batteries can be quite expensive and harmful to the environment due to the presence of methylpyrrolidone (NMP) solvent used in the electrodes. […]

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Lithium-Air Batteries Now Working Without Lithium

Mila Luleva — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 12:16:53 +0000

A lithiated silicon-carbon anode can be used as a replacement for lithium in lithium-air batteries. This is the conclusion of a study done by researchers at three international academic institutes- University of Rome Sapienza (Italy), Argonne National Laboratory (United States) and Hanyang University (South Korea). Although these new batteries have lower voltage and lower capacity, […]

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SiC [Silicon-Graphene] Anodes Could make Electric Vehicles Viable

Benji Jerew — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 20:36:36 +0000

Electric vehicles [EV] suffer a major problem with public perception, specifically their battery packs. EV battery packs are prohibitively expensive when it comes to increasing range. Affordable EVs are limited in range, which keeps many customers from considering them. The battery packs constitute such a big proportion that high-range EVs cost up to $100,000, but […]

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Premium EV Battery Maker A123 Systems Files for Bankruptcy

Benji Jerew — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 13:02:32 +0000

In a press release yesterday, A123 Systems, an advanced lithium-ion [Li-ion] electric vehicle [EV] battery manufacturer, announced what investors and owners feared and expected, bankruptcy. Since its IPO in 2009, A123 Systems initially attracted a lot of investors to its new, high-energy battery technology, driving the stock price up to a high of $25.77 per […]

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NEC Effects +30% Energy-Density Lithium-ion Battery

Benji Jerew — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 19:28:16 +0000

Rechargeable batteries are the mainstay of portable devices, such as mobile phones and laptops, to electric vehicles. A major challenge for the development of these technologies has always been battery density, that is, how much electricity storage, watt-hours [Wh] per kilogram of weight. We all remember those brick phones that charged for 10 hours and […]

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Lithium Extracted From Geothermal Power Plants to Make Cheaper Batteries

Janina Lazo-Cruz — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 05:51:32 +0000

Simbol Materials of Pleasanton, California has proposed a new method of acquiring lithium for batteries by extracting the element from post-production brine solutions of geothermal power plants. Lithium is an expensive key component of batteries, hybrid vehicles, and electric vehicles; and according to Jonathan lee, an analyst at Byron Capital Markets in Toronto, its price […]

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Joint Lithium-Ion and Capacitor Technology Supplies More Mobile Energy

Mila Luleva — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 14:32:10 +0000

Innovative research by pushing boundaries is inevitably the aim of all doctoral candidates. Steven Arnold Klankowski is a perfect example for this. Under the supervision of the Professor of Chemistry- Jun Li (La Crescent, Minnesota), Klankowski is developing new materials to improve the energy storage capacity of Lithium-ion batteries. He justifies his research goal by […]

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Nickel Found to Control the Performance of Lithium-Ion Batteries

Mila Luleva — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 13:56:47 +0000

Lithium-ion batteries are well-known for their long lasting lives. However, researchers believe there is still room for discussion. A group of scientists at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s Chongmin Wang claim that when added, Nickel reduces the speed of battery discharge. They mapped the individual elements of electrodes made of Lithium-Nickel-Manganese oxide […]

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Toyota’s new all-solid-state battery: the power of ‘green vehicles’

Mila Luleva — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 13:51:29 +0000

Environmentally friendly driving, fuel efficiency, electric vehicles- all topics that have been a subject of major debate in recent years, and yet only a limited few manufacturers have the courage to pursue ground-breaking developments. Toyota Motor Corp, one of the leading producers of ‘green vehicles’, might just hold the solution. At a meeting held on September 24th, […]

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Rice University Creates Better Lithium Ion Batteries by Using Waste Silicon

Benji Jerew — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 06:33:20 +0000

Researchers at Rice University and the Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium, have developed a method to turn discarded silicon into flexible components for rechargeable batteries. One of silicon’s excellent qualities is that it absorbs ten times more lithium than the carbon currently used in lithium-ion [Li-ion] rechargeable batteries. The problem is that the silicon expands […]

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EV Battery Maker A123 Dropping Fast, Funding Needed

Guest Contributor — Fri, 18 May 2012 12:37:55 +0000

There are sharp declines in the financial position of lithium-ion battery manufacturer A123 Systems, fanning in a lot of heat on this 10-year-old company founded and based on technology developed at MIT. To have a more clear picture of how terrible the situation is A123 just posted a $125 million net loss in its most […]

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Yi Cui’s New Silicon Nanotube Batteries Can Get Recharged Up to 6,000 Times

Guest Contributor — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:34:35 +0000

Yi Cui, a Stanford scientist and founder of Amprius, is working on a high-tech lithium ion battery that could last for 6,000 charge and discharge cycles – all without degrading itself below 85 percent. This could bring an end to the headaches that many go through with aging laptop batteries or electric cars which just […]

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New Grid-Ready Aqueous Lithium Ion Battery to Be Developed in German University

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 01:53:25 +0000

Although they’re being touted as the perfect energy storage medium for electric cars, lithium ion batteries, in the form they exist today, are not as good for grid energy storage applications. Dr. Fabio La Mantia from the Ruhr-Universität Bochum – Germany is going to develop an aqueous lithium ion battery adapted perfectly for the electrical grid. […]

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MRI Used to See Inside Batteries

Ovidiu Sandru — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:46:42 +0000

I bet you knew MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) is used to see what’s inside your brain, didn’t you? Well, its applicability is no longer limited to the human body, because MRI can now be used to diagnose batteries so scientists can see their defects without opening their carcase. A team of scientists from Cambridge, SBY […]

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New Lithium Ion Battery Embedded in Cotton Fabric Could Save Lives

Ovidiu Sandru — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:52:32 +0000

Flexible batteries could be the future devices that power our gadgets, emit distress signals in the case of an emergency or even resuscitate a dying patient. Woven into fabrics, they can reach extreme applications, but also have to withstand extreme conditions like washing and ironing. A team at the Polytechnic School of Montreal in Canada led […]

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Russia Builds Liotech, World's Largest Lithium Ion Battery Factory

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 18:10:45 +0000

Some say the Chinese have the brightest minds in the world, an impressively high level of technological achievements (even though some are done by copying others), and that Russian things are ultimately the ones built to last. What could be better for the EV industry than the world’s largest lithium ion battery factory built in […]

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German Researchers Dramatically Improve Electrolyte Filling Time in Batteries, Reduce Costs

Ovidiu Sandru — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 19:17:12 +0000

A discovery made by researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) can eventually make lithium ion batteries cheaper by improving a key process that currently takes a lot of time to complete: filling the batteries with liquid electrolyte. The porous electrodes inside modern rechargeable batteries have to be properly filled with liquid electrolyte. Actually, […]

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New Conductive Glue Enhances Lithium Ion Battery Capacity by 30 Percent

Ovidiu Sandru — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 14:26:49 +0000

Currently, lithium-ion battery electrodes are made of graphite – we all know their performance. Silicon electrodes, on the other hand, could theoretically hold up to 10 times more lithium than graphite and around 30 percent more electricity for that matter. The problem with silicon electrodes is that they swell when lithium enters them (the battery […]

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New Solid State Lithium Ion Batteries As Good As Liquid Ones, And Cheaper

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 17:48:16 +0000

A new solid state lithium battery has been recently invented by Japanese researchers. The cell performs just as well as regular lithium ion batteries, but instead of having a liquid electrolyte, it features a solid one. The advantages are numerous and people have been researching solid electrolytes for the past few years.

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Transparent Lithium Ion Battery Invented by Stanford Researchers

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 16:47:10 +0000

They may not even know it, but I guess transparent batteries are the dream of every teenager or fancily-dressed girl out there. And the good news is that Yi Cui together with a team from the University of Stanford, have invented such a battery.

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24M's Liquid Battery Can Be Filled With Sludgy Electrodes, Cuts Price in Half

Ovidiu Sandru — Mon, 30 May 2011 17:19:00 +0000

24M, a spin-off from battery maker A123 has published a paper which describes a new type of battery that would outperform any existing lithium ion unit designed for electric vehicles. Today's lithium batteries are bulky and heavy just because there's a lot of extra material in them that doesn't have anything with the storage of energy, but merely with supporting the active "ingredients."

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New Sodium Imide Battery Doesn't Overheat, Features 50% More Capacity

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 25 May 2011 18:05:05 +0000

One of the biggest hurdles lithium ion batteries face is to overcome is heat. Today's electric cars use complex and bulky cooling systems to get rid of the heat, fact that also lowers the batteries' storage capacity and put weight on the car, lowering its mileage per charge. A new type of battery chemistry that doesn't overheat is now emerging from Leyden Energy's labs.

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Company Promises to Develop Battery-Replacing Ultracapacitors in Electric Vehicles

Ovidiu Sandru — Mon, 09 May 2011 15:07:09 +0000

For years, people have been thinking to reduce or even eliminate gasoline-powered vehicles, and switch to battery-powered ones. The the battery-powered electric vehicles' era hasn't already begun well enough, and now some are even thinking to replace batteries with something else: ultracapacitors.

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Wheego LiFe Electric Car Out On The Market

Mike Sandru — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 19:55:19 +0000

It appears that the Nissan Leaf has a new contender that threatens to steal its clients away: the Wheego LiFe has recently been unveiled and sold at its dealership in Atlanta.

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Xerox Researchers' Finding Can Yield 10 to 30% More Energy for Lithium Ion Batteries

Ovidiu Sandru — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 21:14:56 +0000

A new printing technology invented by Xerox promises to have the ability of packing more energy into EV batteries. The invention involves the printing of a striped pattern of energy storage materials and highly conductive materials. The resulted electrodes are thicker than conventional ones, but can increase the energy stored in a battery by 10 to 30 percent.

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World's Smallest Single Nanowire Battery Filmed by Sandia Researcher, Reveals Previously Unknown Information

Ovidiu Sandru — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 20:38:50 +0000

This image may not seem like much, but it's actually the world's smallest battery, consisting of a single tin oxide (SnO2) nanowire and that has been developed and visualized under a transmission electron microscope (TEM) by Sandia National Laboratories' Jianyu Huang.

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Tobacco Virus Could Enhance Lithium Ion Batteries' Capacity Tenfold

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 20:42:20 +0000

Viruses, even if they have a bad reputation as the most versatile and destructive forces for anything alive, have their good parts, too. Now, for instance, an interdisciplinary team of scientists from the University of Maryland have a clue on how to use a virus called TMV (Tobacco Mosaic Virus) to enhance lithium ion batteries' capacity tenfold. And they're not joking.

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30 Years Since The Invention Of Lithium Ion Batteries: A Long Story Made Short

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 22:31:29 +0000

Our phones, laptops and some electric vehicles are celebrating something special today: their batteries. 30 years ago, four Oxford University researchers have developed the first experimental lithium ion battery for the first time.

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New Titanium Oxide Electrode Increases Li-Ion Battery Energy Density By At Least 30%

Ovidiu Sandru — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 14:35:45 +0000

A Japanese research group, having members among the Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) developed a new oxide negative-electrode and a new synthesis method to fabricate it, at lower temperatures, of about 200 to 300 degrees Celsius.

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Why Old Lithium Ion Batteries Die: Ohio Researchers Find Explanations

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 15:02:57 +0000

Because they're proposed to be used in hybrid and electric cars in the near future, it's an important issue to deal with if we want to have lower maintenance costs and, generally speaking, greener batteries, because of prolonged lifetime. Some Ohio State University researchers did an experiment to see why the batteries lose their original capabilities.

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Batteries As Small As Sand Grains In Development at UCLA

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 11:41:26 +0000

Yet another chapter is about to be written in the history of lithium ion batteries. Present in almost any device from earpieces to electric cars, there is a need to use them in micro- or nano-sized devices. A DARPA-funded project aims at creating the smallest lithium ion batteries ever, as small as a grain of sand.

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Ultra-Efficient Silicon Battery Anode Made By Lockheed Martin and Rice University

Ovidiu Sandru — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 11:49:56 +0000

Lockheed Martin and Rice University scientists have recently discovered how to use the all-abundant silicon to make battery electrodes that could hold up to 10 times more lithium and enhance the battery's overall capacity from 300 mAh/gram to more than 3,000 mAh/gram. This could lead to an unprecedented rise in storage capacities for electric car batteries, in a crucial moment for their development.

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Amprius's Silicon Nanowire Batteries Seek Faster Manufacturing Processes For Lower Price

Ovidiu Sandru — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 08:07:45 +0000

Complaints about laptops whose charge lasts too little, or about electric cars not being able to charge as quick and last as long as gasoline are frequent. Amprius, a US-based company, addresses these issues and develops a battery that they say it can hold double the charge of regular lithium ion batteries.

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