Researchers at Japan's Yokohama National University have developed an exciting replacement for nickel and cobalt-based batteries that are used in electric vehicles, per a report by Interesting Engineering.
In an effort to create a high-energy battery that is not only cost-effective but also sustainable, Japanese researchers swapped nickel and cobalt for manganese in the battery's anode. This method achieved an energy density of 820 Watt-hours per kilogram, which is more than NiCo batteries' 750 Watt-hours per kilogram, meaning that it packs in more energy per kilogram.
Currently, EV manufacturers source nickel and cobalt batteries for their vehicles, as they offer a high energy density, which corresponds to more range, in a small battery pack. However, NiCo batteries are not fully sustainable since both nickel and cobalt are relatively expensive to source and have environmental costs to mine.
Manganese, on the other hand, is a common, naturally occurring element that is the fifth-most abundant metal in the Earth's crust, according to the Royal Society of Chemistry.
Applications of manganese in the anode with lithium have been less frequent due to poorer performance, according to Interesting Engineering. However, the team at YNU has found a method that improves the battery's performance.
By studying lithium using electrochemical methods, the YNU researchers discovered that a "monoclinic layered domain activates the structural transition of LiMnO2 to a spinel-like phase," per Interesting Engineering, which improves the electrode material's performance.
"The researchers are confident that their work has contributed to developing a new offering that is competitive with existing options, sustainable to produce, and environmentally friendly in the long run," the outlet reported.
Advances in battery technology not only optimize EV capabilities but also help improve the user experience for electric vehicle drivers, including by alleviating range anxiety. What's more, as more people forgo gas-powered vehicles and make the switch to EVs, the total amount of harmful, planet-warming gases entering the atmosphere will decrease.
Moving forward, the researchers plan on commercializing their battery technology and scaling it for use in the EV industry. Ultimately, this may help bring down the prices of EVs even further for consumers wanting to transition to the lower-maintenance vehicles.
"We have found a very cheap methodology, and that is the important finding of our study," the researchers from YNU said in an email to Interesting Engineering.
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