A battery design that can store eight times the power per pound of common lithium-ion packs is closer to commercialization thanks to carbon nanotubes, according to a report published by EurekAlert detailing the findings from South Korea.
At issue is lithium-sulfur chemistry, a promising alternative that is cost-effective, uses abundant materials, and is environmentally friendly. Those perks have researchers from the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute excited about developing the tech.
A hiccup is that polysulfides generated as the battery cycles cause unneeded chemical reactions that reduce the pack's lifespan. The experts said this problem is the "biggest obstacle to commercialization."
Their solution — single-walled carbon nanotubes — sounds like something that could be featured in an episode of "Ancient Aliens."
While not an out-of-this-world innovation, the tech is a "next-generation material with strength surpassing steel and electrical conductivity comparable to copper," according to the South Korean team. The nanotubes are combined with "oxygen functional groups," which help stabilize the electrode. Batteries have two electrodes: an anode and a cathode. Ions move between them while charging and discharging, according to a U.S. Department of Energy description.
The nanomaterial reduces the sulfur loss and supports overall battery function, the researchers found, per EurekAlert.
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"Our technology has not only overcome the biggest challenge of the lithium–sulfur battery through the combination of [nanotubes] and oxygen functional groups, but also achieved the design and prototype development of large-area, high-capacity flexible electrodes. This is a comprehensive result," researcher Park Jun-woo said of the findings.
Lithium-sulfur work is happening in labs around the world. In Australia, a team is using the popular antiseptic Betadine as part of the chemistry. A cadre of scientists in Germany is encapsulating sulfur in a microporous polymer to prevent degradation.
The research represents important benchmarks on the path toward finding a game-changing power pack. While lithium-ion batteries are powerful, reliable energy storers for electric vehicles, grid storage, and other tech, improved science can lower costs and increase performance.
Improved lithium-ion cells might play a role as well, as evidenced by research from China's Guangdong University of Technology that is garnering promising results.
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For the South Korean team's part, Park said in the lab report that the "foundational framework" has been put in place for the application of the group's innovation, "marking a significant achievement that opens up the practical commercialization potential of next-generation lithium–sulfur batteries."
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