Smartphones, laptops, e-cigarettes, electric cars, etc. all need lithium-ion batteries, and lithium-ion batteries beat other alternative energy sources because of their high energy density, long service life, and rechargeability before failure. However, although lithium-ion batteries have many advantages, they still have a big problem: when lithium-ion batteries overheat, they will catch fire and cause catastrophic results.
According to foreign media reports, the Johns Hopkins University (Johns Hopkins) Applied Physics Laboratory is developing a new type of lithium-ion battery that will not catch fire. Researchers said that a breakthrough has been made in recent R & D work. The new battery developed is very thin and flexible, which is different from the current lithium-ion battery. Today's lithium-ion batteries must be encapsulated in a rigid cylindrical or polygonal battery cover to isolate unstable and explosive components. The battery developed by Hopkins University is very strong, can be immersed in water, cut, and even withstand ballistic impact.
In batteries, liquid electrolyte transfers electrons between the two electrodes to provide current to the device. The electrolyte of a standard lithium-ion battery contains an organic solvent. Although this solvent is very efficient, it is also flammable. Therefore, the researchers developed a new electrolyte that uses lithium salts that can be dissolved in water as a flammable solvent. This electrolyte is a polymer matrix (basically a plastic sponge) capable of absorbing water, and finally produces a flexible, lens-like electrolyte.
Normally, the electrodes of lithium-ion batteries are in the form of foils. If they are bent too much, they will wrinkle and break. The Hopkins electrode is made of a flexible film, Kapton, which is commonly used in aerospace equipment to prevent extreme temperatures. In addition, Kapton is a ready-made material, which can reduce the cost of batteries and the complexity of battery production.
At present, the voltage of this new electrolyte is 4.1 volts. Although it is not as good as the voltage of traditional lithium-ion batteries, it is very close. The Hopkins team also hopes to increase the battery's cycle life from being able to charge 100 times to 1,000 times, which is the same as the current performance of ordinary batteries. If you continue to adjust the chemistry of the polymer to make the electrochemical performance of the battery more stable, you should be able to achieve the above two goals.
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