According to the report of the US “Daily Science” website on the 21st, American scientists have designed a new type of lithium air battery that can work under natural air conditions and still work after a record-breaking 750 charge/discharge cycles. Said that this lithium-air battery is expected to set off a new revolution in the field of batteries, related papers published in the latest issue of "Nature" magazine.
Lithium-air batteries discharge by combining lithium with lithium in the air to form lithium peroxide; and then reversing this process by applying a current to complete the charging. Compared to the current lithium ion 'y1' technology prevailing in rechargeable batteries, lithium air The battery can theoretically store much more energy, but its development faces several major obstacles.
Zhang Xinbo, a researcher at the State Key Laboratory of Rare Earths Resources Utilization of the Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, explained to the reporter of Science and Technology Daily. First of all, the lithium cathode 'y2' will oxidize, and due to the presence of carbon dioxide and water vapor, a large number of harmful vices will be generated at the cathode. Product. Therefore, most lithium-air batteries cannot work in the real natural air environment for a long time. In addition, because oxygen is a combustion aid, it may also pose a serious safety risk.
In the latest research, the research team from the University of Illinois and Argonne National Laboratory has modified the anode, cathode and electrolyte (the three main components of the battery) of a lithium-air battery, overcoming these unique combinations. challenge.
They coated a thin layer of lithium carbonate on the lithium cathode. This layer would allow lithium ions from the cathode to enter the electrolyte while preventing other compounds from reaching the cathode. In addition, the negative electrode of the new battery uses molybdenum disulfide as a catalyst. In addition, the new electrolyte is made of a mixture of ionic liquid and dimethyl sulfoxide (a common component of battery electrolyte), which can promote the main electrochemical reaction of generating lithium peroxide, which greatly reduces the occurrence of other side reactions. Improve the efficiency of the battery.
Zhang Xinbo said: 'This new battery design concept has greatly expanded the practical application of lithium-air batteries, and can attract more researchers to invest in them, and vigorously promote the application of lithium-air batteries.'
However, the researchers said that in order to commercialize the latest experimental battery, there is still a lot of work to do. Zhang Xinbo also pointed out that the cost of electrolyte in the battery can not be ignored.
