Swedish researchers have developed a composite carbon fiber battery that can be utilized for creating device enclosures and frames. The battery will essentially have no separate weight.
Researchers from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have managed to create a composite carbon fiber battery that is as rigid as aluminum and energy-dense enough for commercial applications. Cars, planes, ships, or computers could be constructed from a material that simultaneously functions as a battery. The elimination of separate batteries will significantly reduce the weight of devices.
Estimates suggest that this battery material could halve the weight of a laptop or make a mobile phone as thin as a credit card. The range of electric vehicles on a single charge could increase by 70%.
Research on structural batteries has been ongoing at the university for many years. When Professor Leif Asp and his colleagues published their initial findings in 2018 on how rigid, durable carbon fibers can chemically store electrical energy, it garnered significant attention. The news that carbon fiber could serve as electrodes in lithium-ion batteries spread rapidly. Physics World recognized this accomplishment as one of the top ten breakthroughs of the year.
Since then, the research team has continued to refine their concept to enhance both the rigidity and energy density. A significant milestone was reached in 2021 when the battery's energy density was at 24 Wh/kg, representing about 20% of the capacity of a comparable lithium-ion battery. Now, the energy density stands at 30 Wh/kg. Although this is still lower than contemporary batteries, the new batteries operate under entirely different conditions. When the battery is part of the structure and can be made from lightweight material, the overall weight of the vehicle is considerably reduced. As a result, less energy is needed for operations, such as in electric vehicles.
The developed battery concept is based on a composite material and incorporates carbon fiber as both the positive and negative electrodes, with the positive electrode coated in lithium iron phosphate. The carbon fiber used in the electrode material is multifunctional. In the anode, it acts as reinforcement, as well as an electrical collector and active material. In the cathode, it serves as a current collector, conductivity enhancer, and framework for lithium.
In the battery, lithium ions are transported between the terminals through a semi-solid electrolyte instead of a liquid one, which poses a challenge for achieving high power. Additional research is needed for this. However, this design enhances battery safety by reducing the risk of fire.
“Investments in lightweight and energy-efficient vehicles are a given if we want to save energy and think about future generations. Our calculations on electric vehicles indicate that they could travel 70% longer than they do today if they were equipped with competitive structural batteries,” says research leader Leif Asp, a professor in the Department of Industrial and Materials Science at Chalmers.
When it comes to vehicles, there are high demands for a design that must be sufficiently robust to meet safety standards. The scientists have increased the rigidity and elasticity of the material. It can withstand loads just as well as aluminum while being lighter. From the very beginning, the goal was to achieve performance that would enable the commercialization of the technology. Alongside ongoing research, connections with the market are being strengthened. However, there is still much work ahead before batteries make the leap from the lab to large-scale production.
Source: SciTechDaily
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