Wood may not be on the list of common materials used in batteries, but a group of researchers have discovered how this natural resource can make portable energy storage more efficient. An experiment by Teng Li and Lianbing Hu of the University of Maryland revealed how wood can make one type of battery more efficient compared to its commercial counterparts. Using a sliver of wood and coating it with tin, the two scientists came up with a design that is 1,000 times thinner than paper and lasts longer than the average batteries. This new technology may be the best out of sodium-ion batteries and is best-suited for large-scale use.
Lithium VS Sodium
While lithium is regarded as the best material for modern day batteries, sodium is not far behind. Scientists and engineers are looking for ways to make a commercially efficient sodium battery because it is more abundant than lithium.
One problem in sodium batteries is the size of its ions. Sodium and Lithium are chemically similar, but sodium ions are five times bigger than lithium ions. The bigger the ion, the more damage it causes when it runs back and forth through the anode and cathode channels. Li and Hu researched for a material that will provide stable support for the electrode as the sodium ions move back and forth.
The Experiment Using Wooden Slivers
The scientists used slivers of wood from yellow pines and coated it with carbon nanotubes to improve conductivity. A film of tin was applied to each sliver. After this, the slivers were immersed in an electrolyte of sodium ions and placed the battery through 400 cycles of charging and discharging.
Hu disclosed that their inspiration “came from the trees.” The tree contains wood fibers which held mineral-rich liquid, making it a great material for storing liquid electrolytes. Wood, as part of the battery, becomes an active element which prolongs the energy-storage capability.
This technology is best-suited for large-scale energy storage such as solar and wind farms. Hu and Li’s wooden sliver battery research was first published in the journal Nano Letters in 2013.
Image Source: Solarfeeds
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