Incorporating battery storage into the very structure of buildings and vehicles has great potential. But researchers working on the tech have two challenging demands to satisfy: energy density and load-bearing capacity.
That's according to scientists from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, or KAIST, who are working on thin, carbon-fiber composite batteries that can store plenty of power while supporting significant loads, they said in a lab summary.
"We proposed a framework for designing solid polymer electrolytes, a core material for high-stiffness, ultra-thin structural batteries, from both material and structural perspectives. These material-based structural batteries can serve as internal components in cars, drones, airplanes, and robots, significantly extending their operating time with a single charge," Professor Seong Su Kim, the lead researcher, said in the university report.
When batteries operate, ions move between two electrodes through an electrolyte. Scientists around the world are trying to find the best-performing, cheapest materials that work chemically in small, light packs. Everything from potassium, salt, and even cow hair are being studied.
For the KAIST invention, the carbon fibers serve as both electrodes: the anode and cathode. The Korean technique boosted contact between the electrodes and electrolyte, improving performance, per the report.
What's more, by incorporating the packs into the structure of an electric vehicle, manufacturers can lower the EV's weight, decrease costs, and increase fire safety. Tesla is already working on structural batteries as part of the car's frame, all according to a report from Medium.
Commercializing production of the tech has been among the hurdles noted by both KAIST and Medium.
In response, the Korean team developed "high-density multifunctional structural carbon fiber composite batteries that maximize multifunctionality." Manufacturing included intense study of epoxy resins, vacuum-compression molding, and other intricate lab processes, per the KAIST report.
The method boosted electrochemical performance and energy density, the amount of electricity that can be stored per pound.
🗣️ If you were going to purchase an EV, which of these factors would be most important to you?
🔘 Cost 💰
🔘 Battery range 🔋
🔘 Power and speed 💪
🔘 The way it looks 😎
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
Innovative battery designs are crucial as we transition to a renewable, electric-based transportation and power system. By using sun, wind, and wave energy instead of dirty energy sources, we can reduce the production of planet-warming fumes that are impacting even our food system through increased risks for severe weather and heat waves.
An easy way to help reduce pollution levels is simply to walk more. By replacing a two-mile drive with a stroll each day, you can nix more than 600 pounds of heat-trapping exhaust annually. Mayo Clinic also has a page full of health benefits associated with the exercise.
At KAIST, the research may soon help to improve how structural batteries are used in EVs. A rendering shared by the researchers shows the carbon fiber energy storers incorporated into a car roof.
"This represents a foundational technology for next-generation multifunctional energy storage applications," Su Kim said in the KAIST report.
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
