New Battery Breakthrough Could Tackle Renewable Energy’s Key Challenge
Columbia Engineers have developed a new, more powerful battery electrolyte that lasts longer and is cheaper to produce. Renewable energy sources like wind and solar are crucial for our planet’s future, but their inconsistent power generation poses a challenge. To fully utilize these resources, we need efficient and affordable energy storage solutions for times when wind or sunlight is unavailable.
Columbia Engineers Develop K-Na/S Batteries for Advanced Renewable Energy Storage
Columbia Engineering material scientists are working on innovative batteries to improve renewable energy storage. Their recent study, published in Nature Communications, highlights their use of K-Na/S batteries, which combine potassium (K), sodium (Na), and sulfur (S) to create a cost-effective, high-energy storage solution.
Yuan Yang, the team’s leader and associate professor of materials science and engineering, emphasized the importance of extending battery life and reducing production costs. “Enhancing renewable energy reliability will stabilize energy grids, lessen fossil fuel reliance, and foster a more sustainable future,” Yang said.
K-Na/S batteries face two main issues: their capacity is limited because inactive solid K2S2 and K2S hinder the diffusion process, and they require very high temperatures (>250°C), which complicates thermal management and raises costs. Previous research has struggled with these solid precipitates and low capacity, prompting a search for improved techniques.
Yang’s Team Unveils New Electrolyte to Boost Energy Storage and Efficiency in K/S Batteries
Yang’s team has developed a new electrolyte using a mixture of acetamide and ε-caprolactam to enhance energy storage and release. This new electrolyte dissolves K2S2 and K2S, increasing both energy and power density while allowing the battery to operate at a significantly lower temperature (around 75°C) compared to previous models.
This approach nearly achieves the theoretical discharge capacities and extends cycle life, offering exciting advancements for intermediate-temperature K/S batteries, according to Zhenghao Yang, the study’s co-first author and a PhD student in Yang’s group.
Yang’s team is part of the Columbia Electrochemical Energy Center (CEEC), which employs a multiscale strategy to uncover innovative technologies and speed up their commercialization. CEEC brings together faculty and researchers from across the School of Engineering and Applied Science who focus on various aspects of electrochemical energy, from electrons to devices to systems. Its collaborations with industry help turn advancements in electrochemical energy storage and conversion into practical applications.
The team is currently working with small, coin-sized batteries but aims to eventually scale this technology for large-scale energy storage. If successful, these advanced batteries could ensure a stable and reliable power supply from renewable sources, even when sunlight or wind is minimal. They are now focusing on optimizing the electrolyte composition.
Read the original article on: ScitechDaily
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