MIT News featured an interview with two battery visionaries in January 2016. They were on the trail of a novel, rechargeable battery which could have a critical role. This vital contribution could prove invaluable “in the massive expansion of solar generation needed to mitigate climate”, they believed. Although molten batteries were still ahead of their time.
A Brief Overview of Molten Batteries Back Then
The two visionaries imagined a high-capacity battery containing molten metals, which separated naturally to form two electrodes. A molten salt electrolyte would then position between them to regulate the flow of electrically charged ions. They anticipated this device, which they intended for grid storage, would have the following advantages:
- Molten batteries would not significantly lose capacity or mechanically degrade.
- The novel batteries could comprise cells made of low-cost, abundant materials.
The two pioneers understood how capacity to store large amounts of electricity would empower practical, large-scale wind and solar. They imagined large, inexpensive stationery batteries with long operating lives, becoming an integral part of utility supply someday.
But their vision has not come to pass, as utilities continue to favor solid battery electrodes. Although flow batteries are perhaps a half-way point on that journey. We came across a potential application in aviation we found particularly interesting.
A Larger (Possible) Future for Electric Aircraft
Flight Global ran with a story on October 3, 2023, that suggested a fresh future for molten batteries. They described how electric aviation propulsion company Wright Electric has its eye on ‘larger electric passenger aircraft’.
“We have visibility into new battery chemistries that could get us to our target of 1,000 watt-hours per kilogram,” says founder and CEO Jeff Engler. “There are a lot of chemistries that might potentially get there, that have been overlooked by the traditional battery industry”.
“Molten batteries can have a higher fraction of active material atoms that are more mobile when they’re in a liquid state,” he continues. “Heating the battery up to a molten temperature creates engineering challenges, but it also allows us to have high power density and energy density.”
More Information
What is In the Cellphone Battery in Your Device
Solid–Electrolyte Interphase – Dramatic News
