Battery experts in Norway think they can create a next-generation pack using the right combination of already available parts. The key is using the best among them, per a news release from the lab.
The team from the Foundation for Industrial and Technical Research (translated), or SINTEF, is working to improve electric vehicle charge speeds and alleviate environmental concerns surrounding battery production. The project is part of the overall InteLliGent effort.
"In many ways, you could say we've created a recipe for future battery technology by choosing some of the best, cheapest, and least environmentally harmful raw materials. We have investigated every last detail of the battery cells," senior research scientist Nils Peter Wagner said in the release, which provides a part-by-part breakdown.
When batteries cycle, ions move between the anode and cathode through the electrolyte. Pack innovators are constantly searching for better materials to form those components, with research elsewhere leading to unlikely possibilities, including cow hair.
At SINTEF, the researchers started with a lithium-nickel-manganese-oxide material, or LNMO, for the cathode. That's one side of the battery sandwich. SINTEF's version is sans lithium, cobalt, and some other hard-to-gather and expensive materials. It also addresses lifespan issues that had plagued previous versions, all per the release.
The anode is made of a silicon/graphite composite. Silicon is an up-and-coming material being developed by Panasonic and others. Graphite has been a reliable anode substance also subject to foreign supplies. The combination takes advantage of silicon's lithium-ion absorption and graphite's strength and durability. The pairing also addresses harmful swelling typical to silicon electrodes, according to the experts.
Finally comes the "secret sauce" — a special electrolyte in the middle that protects the anode and cathode. Battery construction also included special "separators" that repair minor damage during operation, preventing short circuits and extending battery life. It's essentially a "self-repairing" function, per the summary.
It's all part of a vision for improved, cleaner transportation. EVs already provide a median 283-mile range and can charge in around 15-20 minutes, depending on the hookup type, according to government data and Tesla. The company operates 60,000-plus Superchargers globally. What's more, EVs prevent thousands of pounds of heat-trapping, lung-troubling air pollution annually when replacing a gas-guzzler, per federal statistics. NASA has also linked the fumes to increased severe weather risks.
SINTEF thinks its innovation is part of the solution.
"These batteries will enable you to drive your electric car farther without charging and you'll be able to charge it faster. And as an individual, you'll also be contributing to a smaller carbon footprint," Wagner said in the release.
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Cost 💰 The team's project uses high-tech analysis equipment to measure performance. Now, experts are securing partners and a manufacturing process for commercialization.
"We are assessing environmental, economic, and social consequences and comparing the new technology with current solutions," Wagner added in the lab summary.
In the meantime, switching to an EV stateside remains a money-saving, planet-friendly move. Tax breaks are still available, along with expected savings of up to $1,500 or more a year in gas/maintenance costs.
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