Lithium batteries currently command center stage. They are in most everything we own but they have drawbacks. Firstly, they have a short lifespan that other technology is starting to challenge. Secondly, their key component lithium is a scarce resource. Increased demand is bound to increase cost as we scale up battery storage. Meanwhile scientists at South Korea’s Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) have discovered an ocean full of battery opportunity.
A Brief Introduction to the UNIST Institute
UNIST is a medium size research university with around 4,000 undergraduate, and 1,500 postgraduate students.
It comprises nine engineering and science schools, a business school, and an incubation tank for first year students.
It uses a ‘flipped classroom’ strategy whereby homework is in the classroom, and learning is on the internet. Finally, its English-medium policy attracts top international lecturers and students to its campus.
The UNIST Ocean Full of Battery Opportunity
Scientists at UNIST have attracted funding from Korean power companies, and key players in the manufacturing industry. They plan to use this money to get their seawater battery to market.
Since their electrolyte is water infused with sodium, it is completely inflammable. Moreover, sodium is an ocean full of opportunity because it is the sixth most abundant element on earth.
Replacing lithium with sodium allows the battery to extract sodium ions from the seawater while charging. It stores these in the cathode. During the discharge cycle, the anode releases sodium. The sodium reacts with oxygen and water in the cathode to produce sodium hydroxide. The scientists believe this should be sufficient to power an electric vehicle when their project is complete.
The Road Ahead for UNIST Seawater Batteries
The prototype batteries are low power although they are capable of lighting an LED. UNIST plans to produce double the energy of lithium-ion after developing more optimized cell geometry. They hope this will become “one of the major growth engines in the future of our economy”. Thus they use the ocean full of opportunity in the interests of progress.
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Preview Image: Seawater Battery Pack
