Technical Editor Margery Conner's PowerSource streams the latest developments in electronic power design and related technologies. Follow Margery on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/margeryc.
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Blog
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
IBM Research jumps into battery development with lithium air technology
Jun 24 2009 10:12AM | Permalink |Comments (12) |
Last month, researchers at the University of St Andrews in Scotland announced their efforts to develop a rechargeable lithium-air battery that could deliver a 10x increase in energy capacity compared to that of currently available lithium-ion cells. Research has included investigating the materials issues associated with a non-aqueous O2 electrode. (Keeping the water out while letting in oxygen from the air is tricky but necessary because of lithium's violent reaction with water.)
"The key is to use oxygen in the air as a re-agent, rather than carry the necessary chemicals around inside the battery. says Professor Peter Bruce of the Chemistry Department at the University of St Andrews, principal investigator." [via Green Car Congress.]
Now, IBM Research has announced that its Almaden Research Center in San Jose, CA will partner with Oak Ridge, Lawrence Berkeley, Lawrence Livermore, Argonne, and Pacific Northwest national labs develop lithium air batteries.
“IBM is pursuing the risky technology instead of lithium-ion batteries because it has the potential to reach high enough energy densities to change the transportation system, says Chandrasekhar Narayan, manager of science and technology at IBM's Almaden Research Center, in San Jose, CA. "With all foreseeable developments, lithium-ion batteries are only going to get about two times better than they are today," he says. "To really make an impact on transportation and on the grid, you need higher energy density than that."
One of the project's goals is a lightweight 500-mile battery for a family car. [via Technology review.]
Photo credit: Dobley et al. Non-aqueous Lithium-Air Batteries with an Advanced Cathode Structure
Related entries in: Battery Power | Power Sources/Controllers |
Reader Comments
at 6/24/2009 10:54:34 AM, Ariel Caplan said:
This is great news! Last evening I was discussing with my wife the challenges we face to improve power generation and the related question of mobile power sources. The limitations are inherent in the state of the technology. Research of the type described will provide the technology needed to solve transportation related power issues. If our government must spend money on technology, instead of throwing money at lead acid and lithium ion automobiles, it should invest heavily in research of this type.
at 6/24/2009 2:10:53 PM, DON BURROW said:
I have been dealing with lead-acid storage cells for forty years in the telecommunications industry as they are the mainstay for DC power backup. Their great weight and large size don't matter in a building - but in an automobile we have to have a highly dense, light weight alternative that is even better than the Lithiom Ion batteries of today. If IBM perfects a SAFE cell as they hope to, buy some stock-it will be like perfecting cold fusion!
at 6/24/2009 3:18:14 PM, Larry M said:
Ummm, Margery, in the last line of the third paragraph did you mean to say "lithium ion air batteries: or "lithium air batteries"?
at 6/24/2009 3:19:03 PM, Stimpy said:
I still recall my hours playing with slot cars as a youth. Why not have light limited range batteries but find a cute way to electrify the highways? Cars could draw power from the road and would have power meters to allow billing for this power usage. Off highway, the cars would run on their batteries. There would be an incentive to minimize vehicle weight to reduce energy usage and cost.
at 6/24/2009 6:00:04 PM, Margery said:
Rats. Thanks Larry M - fixed.
at 6/24/2009 6:11:02 PM, EEStor said:
For those unfamiliar with the other 10x lithium ion battery technology that has a prototype production line already in use, there is EEStor near Austin, Texas. The EEStor product is not a battery but a capacitor so the lifecycle is an order of magnitude longer. Density is where it's at, but IBM is going to have to go a long way to achieve better figures than what the EEStor capacitor reportedly can achieve. Mass production of EEStor should be in the relatively near future.
Good question around why they don't electrify the highway grid. My guess is that it would kill too many animals crossing the road and litter the highways with bodies. Maybe magnets under the road--but that would be crazy, maglev-type expensive and require loads of on-board equipment in cars to use. For saving energy, I think that improving rail lines is the way to go at least for heavy goods if not for people as well.
at 6/24/2009 10:05:42 PM, night-netter said:
Metal-air batteries are nothing new. Zn-Air battery is widely used in hearing aids. However, to make them rechargeable is difficult. Li-Air rechargeable batteries, fuel cells, etc are very appealing but difficult commercially. IBM effort is nothing but a long term research project. There is no telling the technology will be ready.
at 6/25/2009 4:29:00 PM, Richard, Chicago said:
I agree with ee-stor that using less is far easier as far as moving heavy goods and some commuters via rail is concerned. I have followed EE-Stor's project with great interest. I own a 40 Watt hour or so capactitor bank (Maxwell's), and it has performed reliably and exactly to specifications, although its energy density is way to low for use as a primary energy source for transportation. If EE-stor can build what it claims I will likely buy it, but I have yet to see a working prototype, and a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. That said, I would encourage theirs, IBM's, and others research and developement as the stakes really are so high.
at 6/30/2009 4:34:12 PM, The Green Wizard said:
The electrified highway is coming soon to a neighborhood close to you. We have a working prototype that incorporates solar generation, backed by grid power. It is intended for major highways and will include high speed electric train service, electric vehicle lanes that provide the power needed for non stop travel from coast to coast plus effortless battery recharging. Additionally it serves as the carrier for the high tension transmission lines. To catch a glimpse of rhe high speed train, google the Arizona Bullet electric train.
at 6/30/2009 4:37:00 PM, Jan Van Kort said:
What's wrong with coils in the road? They don't have to be high voltage, nor do they have to be exposed to the elements. All they need to do is induce enough power for the vehicle to gain energy, which can be determined by the vehicle's own circuit designers. Billing can be handled quite effectively, very similar to the way computers on a network get handled, every vehicle gets a unique address and billing can be automatic just like your cell-phone bill. Or, why bother to bill? Just add more to the 'smokers' taxes.
at 7/1/2009 7:16:31 AM, Streetcar Eddie said:
"One of the project's goals is a lightweight 500-mile battery for a family car." Do we really need this much range?
at 7/8/2009 2:11:38 PM, Meredith Poor said:
Microsoft Research is reacting to the IBM Research announcment with demo lithium-vapor battery.
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