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Scientists say new material can triple lithium-ion battery energy density

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Re: Scientists say new material can triple lithium-ion battery energy density

#41
post #38

If even half of these amazing battery technologies had come true, my car would be driven by a D cell battery. But I'm ok that it hasn't, because I once heard a battery chemistry guy say that "the higher capacity a battery is the more it resembles a bomb." I can't find the reference any more, but with all the Samsungs and Teslas catching fire, it rings true.

These have not much to do with attempt at increasing power density, but everything to do with particle contamination during the manufacturing process.

They have everything to do with increasing power density. By definition power density is potential energy and when you release that energy you get waste heat.

Re: Scientists say new material can triple lithium-ion battery energy density

#42

If even half of these amazing battery technologies had come true, my car would be driven by a D cell battery. But I'm ok that it hasn't, because I once heard a battery chemistry guy say that "the higher capacity a battery is the more it resembles a bomb." I can't find the reference any more, but with all the Samsungs and Teslas catching fire, it rings true.

> "the higher capacity a battery is the more it resembles a bomb." You mean like gasoline?

Right but worse when batteries contain the “oxidizer”. If the battery uses atmospheric oxygen (e.g. as with hydrogen fuel cell vehicles) then it’s exactly like gasoline.

Re: Scientists say new material can triple lithium-ion battery energy density

#43
post #31
post #25

Isn't there a new cathode material promising manyfold improvement announced about every three weeks or so? I'd like to see one of them actually deliver in new batteries. But instead, the 50% or so improvement we've seen over the last ten years have all been because of incremental refinement. Color me skeptical until it's proven in production.

There has been an enormous amount work on battery technology for the last 30 years. Probably 99% of it leads to dead ends. Standard rule of battery development, if everything goes right it takes ten years to market. And another ten to get market share. In the late 90's early 2000's there was paper after paper published on lithium iron phosphate batteries and dick all nothing for sale until ~2010. And ten years later…

Edison tried for many, many years to improve batteries for electric cars. This has been going a lot longer than 30 years.

Re: Scientists say new material can triple lithium-ion battery energy density

#44

If even half of these amazing battery technologies had come true, my car would be driven by a D cell battery. But I'm ok that it hasn't, because I once heard a battery chemistry guy say that "the higher capacity a battery is the more it resembles a bomb." I can't find the reference any more, but with all the Samsungs and Teslas catching fire, it rings true.

> "the higher capacity a battery is the more it resembles a bomb." You mean like gasoline?

Or even a flywheel. Any energy storage device is going to be energetic when things go wrong. One of the many challenges is in assessing and managing the risk of such an outcome.

Re: Scientists say new material can triple lithium-ion battery energy density

#45
post #25

Isn't there a new cathode material promising manyfold improvement announced about every three weeks or so? I'd like to see one of them actually deliver in new batteries. But instead, the 50% or so improvement we've seen over the last ten years have all been because of incremental refinement. Color me skeptical until it's proven in production.

Well, the power of a battery the size of a brick in the 80’s is now available in a AA form factor. I’d say the improvement has been profound, if not quite as profound as Moore’s law is for CPUs.

Re: Scientists say new material can triple lithium-ion battery energy density

#46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Right. And if they don’t do that, then the phone will just get thinner. We already have incredible energy density compared to a decade ago, but that budget is used up by shaving millimeters off the thickness.

> used up by shaving millimeters off the thickness I wish they didn't do that, I would gladly carry around a slightly bigger phone if it had much better battery life.

Many phone models do have expansion options like this, even iPhones. I for one am appreciative of “low power mode” so I get to choose efficiency over app freshness.

Re: Scientists say new material can triple lithium-ion battery energy density

#47
post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> used up by shaving millimeters off the thickness I wish they didn't do that, I would gladly carry around a slightly bigger phone if it had much better battery life.

Many phone models do have expansion options like this, even iPhones. I for one am appreciative of “low power mode” so I get to choose efficiency over app freshness.

Yeah, but that (1) feels like the hardware equivalent of DLC, and (2) the resulting unit is much thicker than it would be if the battery were designed into the device from the start.

I get why some people prefer thinness over battery life. Not all use cases are the same. Just wish that there was an option when choosing a model to go with svelte or chunky.

Re: Scientists say new material can triple lithium-ion battery energy density

#48

If even half of these amazing battery technologies had come true, my car would be driven by a D cell battery. But I'm ok that it hasn't, because I once heard a battery chemistry guy say that "the higher capacity a battery is the more it resembles a bomb." I can't find the reference any more, but with all the Samsungs and Teslas catching fire, it rings true.

> "the higher capacity a battery is the more it resembles a bomb." You mean like gasoline?

Gasoline only explodes under very specific environmental conditions, otherwise it just burns.

Re: Scientists say new material can triple lithium-ion battery energy density

#49
post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

These have not much to do with attempt at increasing power density, but everything to do with particle contamination during the manufacturing process.

They have everything to do with increasing power density. By definition power density is potential energy and when you release that energy you get waste heat.

The capacity is relevant to the intensity of the event, but the reason the event occurs has nothing to do with capacity.

Re: Scientists say new material can triple lithium-ion battery energy density

#50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "the higher capacity a battery is the more it resembles a bomb." You mean like gasoline?

Gasoline only explodes under very specific environmental conditions, otherwise it just burns.

One could say the same about lithium :).
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