battery technologies Graphene batteries, Aqueous magnesium batteries, Hydrogen fuel cells, Solid-state batteries, Lithium-sulfur batteries, Gold nanowire gel electrolyte batteries, Organosilicon electrolyte batteries, Zinc-manganese oxide batteries, NanoBolt lithium tungsten batteries Working on battery anode materials, researchers at N1 Technologies, Inc. added tungsten and carbon multi-layered nanotubes that bond to the copper anode substrate and build up a web-like nano structure. That forms a huge surface for more ions to attach to during recharge and discharge cycles. That makes recharging the NanoBolt lithium tungsten battery faster, and it also stores more energy. Nanotubes are ready to be cut to size for use in any Lithium Battery design.

1. UPCOMMING AND
NEW BATTERY
TECHNOLOGIES
Presented by
Punith N

2. NanoBolt lithium tungsten batteries
◦ Working on battery anode materials, researchers at N1
Technologies, Inc.
◦ added tungsten and carbon multi-layered nanotubes
that bond to the copper anode substrate and build up a
web-like nano structure.
◦ That forms a huge surface for more ions to attach to
during recharge and discharge cycles.
◦ That makes recharging the NanoBolt lithium tungsten
battery faster, and it also stores more energy.
◦ Nanotubes are ready to be cut to size for use in any
Lithium Battery design.

3. Zinc-manganese oxide batteries
◦ How does a battery actually work? Investigating
conventional assumptions, a team based at DOE’s
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory found an
unexpected chemical conversion reaction in a zinc-
manganese oxide battery.
◦ If that process can be controlled, it can increase energy
density in conventional batteries without increasing cost.
◦ That makes the zinc-manganese oxide battery a
possible alternative to lithium-ion and lead-acid batteries,
especially for large-scale energy storage to support the
nation’s electricity grid.

4. Organosilicon electrolyte batteries
◦ A problem with lithium batteries is the danger of the
electrolyte catching fire or exploding.
◦ Searching for something safer than the carbonate
based solvent system in Li-ion batteries, University of
Wisconson-Madison chemistry professors Robert
Hamers and Robert West developed organosilicon
(OS) based liquid solvents.
◦ The resulting electrolytes can be engineered at the
molecular level for industrial, military, and consumer
Li-ion battery markets.

5. Gold nanowire gel electrolyte batteries
◦ Also seeking a better electrolyte for lithium ion
batteries, researchers at the University of California,
Irvine experimented with gels, which are not as
combustible as liquids.
◦ They tried coating gold nanowires with manganese
dioxide, then covering them with electrolyte gel.
◦ While nanowires are usually too delicate to use in
batteries, these had become resilient.
◦ When the researchers charged the resulting electrode,
they discovered that it went through 200,000 cycles
without losing its ability to hold a charge.
◦ That compares to 6,000 cycles in a conventional
battery.

6. Lithium-sulfur batteries
◦ A lithium-ion battery uses cobalt at the anode, which has
proven difficult to source.
◦ Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries could remedy this
problem by using sulfur as the cathodic material instead.
◦ In addition to replacing cobalt, Li-S batteries offer a few
advantages, namely higher energy density and lower
production costs.
◦ The biggest problem with lithium-sulfur batteries at the
moment relates to their fast degradation rate.
◦ So even though we saw a solar-powered plane use a
Li-S battery all the way back in 2008, we’re still waiting
on continued research to make the tech viable for
everyday electronics.

7. Solid-state batteries
◦ Lithium-ion batteries use a liquid electrolyte medium that allows ions to move between
electrodes.
◦ The electrolyte is typically an organic compound that can catch fire when the battery
overheats or overcharges.
◦ So in order to reduce this risk, researchers have devised an alternative in the form of
solid-state batteries.
◦ These use a solid inorganic electrolyte, which can sustain harsh environments and wild
swings in temperature.
◦ Besides the lower risk of ignition, solid-state batteries can also hold more energy
compared to their Li-on counterparts.
◦ The greater conductivity of a solid electrolyte should also lead to faster charging times,
meaning we should see better capacity and charging speeds from devices that move
to this technology.
◦ So far, we’ve seen electric vehicle manufacturers take a keen interest in solid-state
batteries. Honda, for example, said it would demo the technology as early as 2024.
Toyota, meanwhile, has taken a more conservative approach and plans to unveil
commercial solid-state batteries post-2027.

8. Hydrogen fuel cells
◦ While not exactly similar to a rechargeable Li-on
battery, Hydrogen fuel cells have emerged as a
popular alternative to supply clean energy.
◦ It involves combining stored hydrogen gas with
oxygen in the air to produce electricity and water
vapor.
◦ In other words, the byproduct of the reaction is
completely environmentally-friendly.
◦ However, there are still a few downsides to hydrogen
fuel cells.
◦ In the automotive industry, for example, you need to
build a network of hydrogen filling stations.
◦ It’s also quite expensive to build hydrogen fuel cells
in the first place, so even though we have cars like
the Toyota Mirai, only a few regions in the world
have the infrastructure in place to fuel its hydrogen
tank.

9. Aqueous magnesium batteries
◦ yet another attempt to make rechargeable batteries less dangerous and harmful, researchers have
proposed the use of magnesium ions as charge carriers.
◦ This has a few advantages, starting with magnesium’s abundant availability and higher ionic charge
compared to lithium..
◦ The latter means you get higher energy density from the same-sized cell. Finally, these batteries also
use an aqueous electrolyte (water) instead of a flammable organic liquid.
◦ While promising, we’re still in the early stages of research.
◦ The technology faces several limitations that prevent it from serving as a lithium-ion battery alternative
anytime soon.
◦ For example, existing cathode materials that work with lithium can’t be used for magnesium. And the
use of an aqueous electrolyte puts a cap on the battery’s maximum voltage because water breaks
down at higher voltages.

10. Graphene batteries
◦ Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms, arranged in a hexagonal lattice or honeycomb-
like structure.
◦ A sheet of graphene is so thin, it’s practically regarded as a two-dimensional structure.
◦ This unique property lends itself well for battery production as it also has excellent electrical
conductivity, low weight, and a strong physical structure.
◦ In 2021, Chinese carmaker GAC announced a breakthrough in graphene battery technology,
achieving a 80% charge in just eight minutes.
◦ We’ve seen a lot of buzz surrounding graphene as a lithium-ion battery alternative, but
commercial products remain unviable for now.
◦ Its cost is perhaps the biggest reason why the industry hasn’t embraced it yet. At over
$60,000 per metric ton, graphene is currently only used in very small amounts.
◦ Ford, for example, uses trace amounts of the material in engines and fuel systems to reduce
noise and withstand heat.