Science News announced on March 22, 2023, than oxygen-ion batteries arrived that can regenerate. This means they should have an extremely long life-span. While at same time they don’t use rare materials and can’t catch fire either. This could be great news for large-scale energy-storage, although the new energy cell comes with a few catches.
How Oxygen-Ion Batteries Work: The Basics
We have been casting around for a while for a replacement for lithium-ion batteries. While oxygen-ion can’t compete with l-ion in terms of capacity, it can reinstate what it has. And this remarkable achievement appears to ensure it has a very, very long service life.
The oxygen-ion battery electrodes contain ceramic materials, using knowledge gained from fuel cells. Alexander Schmid from Institute for Chemical Technologies and Analytics in Vienna, explains these are able to absorb and release doubly-negatively-charged oxygen ions, generating electric current.
A Process Similar to Lithium-Ion Batteries
“The basic principle is actually very similar to the lithium-ion battery,” says Prof. Jürgen Fleig overseeing the project. But they are not flammable, and do not need rare materials in short supply either. The prototype ceramic, lanthanum is reasonably available, but could easily step aside for something less expensive.
How The Secret Lies in Their Regeneration
Most batteries fail when their charge-carrying ions run out of steam, according to Alexander Schmid. However, his team can regenerate theirs, by importing new stock from the ambient air all around. But what are the disadvantages concerning oxygen-ion then?
The Downside of Oxygen-Ion Batteries
Well in the first instance, these oxygen-ion batteries can’t replace lithium-ion in smartphones or electric cars, because their capacity to store energy is two-thirds less. However, they do have potential for large energy-storage applications when teamed with wind and solar, according to Science News.
We hope researchers soon find a way to control their 200 °C to 400 °C operating temperature. Their strengths would lie in long service life, plus the lack of needing rare minerals. The fact that there is no fire hazard could be the clincher, in the race for the first practical, renewable battery.
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