Silicon Anode Batteries

[3rd_gear_Ted]

Ten times the range of current Graphite Anode Batteries

https://cleantechnica.com/2023/03/02/the-next-big-silicon-battery-breakthrough-is-so-mysterious/

Will battery technology have the same exponential improvements the transistor has seen?

[pwd72s]

The article states "all speculation"...

So, wait & see...

[herr_oberst]

My personal thinking is that battery technology is currently at the vacuum-tube level of technology and what's needed is a Bell Labs to DISCOVER the transistor equivalent...then maybe we can start to achieve a Moores law scenario to energy storage. It will be interesting to see what happens.

(maybe we really are at a transistor level of energy storage...it just feels like there needs to be a revolutionary breakthrough.)

[john70t]

When we get to cheap/common/biodegradable battery material sources such as silicone mixed with iron or aluminum etc, then storage will get interesting.


I think super-capacitors are great for the start-stop, with some type of deep cell or better organic diesel for the continuous runs.

https://www.howtogeek.com/786195/supercapacitors-vs-batteries-whats-the-difference/
Then again, there are other technologies in competition with supercapacitors. The most important of which is the fabled solid-state battery and recently graphene-infused traditional lithium-ion batteries have shown promise as well. Whichever fast-charging, durable, energy-dense technology wins the race, we'll all be winners.

There is also carbon-free solid fuel engines used in rockets but a possible electric plant use.
(if there was a way to 100% capture and recycle the exhaust..)

https://spectrum.ieee.org/metal-powder-a-zerocarbon-fuel-with-promising-properties
After combustion, of course, you’re left with a pile of rust—iron oxide. The usual way of recycling it into iron is to reduce it with coal in a blast furnace. But that, of course, results in carbon emission. But Bergthorson is hopeful. "There are novel techniques to reduce iron oxide using pure hydrogen, or the use of biomass in chemical looping combustion, using gasified biomass or gasified coal, or by electrolysis, which is not yet commercially developed."

[asphaltgambler]

Toyota has already developed a solid state litho battery where the physical size and raw material required is @40% less than current batteries, but producing the same amount of amp hours........

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

My personal thinking is that battery technology is currently at the vacuum-tube level of technology and what's needed is a Bell Labs to DISCOVER the transistor equivalent...then maybe we can start to achieve a Moores law scenario to energy storage. It will be interesting to see what happens.

(maybe we really are at a transistor level of energy storage...it just feels like there needs to be a revolutionary breakthrough.)

The big difference in battery storage is we have to put energy in, and take it back out at a rapid rate. The laws of thermodynamics show that produces heat, so cooling in needed.

One scientists watched the movie Terminator, and enjoyed it, but the energy pack and backup pack would produce so much heat it would take a huge cooling tower to prevent meltdown of the Terminator.

Heat, and controlling that heat is the biggest limiting factor.

No doubt, we (humans) will figure out more and more compact and efficient batteries, but controlling the heat is the biggest issue.

[Zeke]

Maybe we should use less energy in any given second. How hot does a Tesla battery get if you drive sane? Wouldn't bother me if e-cars had a restriction on the draw. I mean I spent years in a VW at 60 HP. And then some more in a 914 at 105 or so. That's fast enough to have fun and commute too.

Cars don't need 500 HP. Hell, pickups don't need 500. My 4.8 V8 is all I'd need unless I was towing a lot. If I was towing a lot I shouldn't be driving a 1/2 ton. 80% of the pickups on the road should weigh under 3000 lbs. and have 200 HP.

Batteries will catch up when people stop being stupid and buy what they need and not what they think they want. Or worse yet, being sold what they don't need.

I saw a Musk/Rogan video where Musk was shown an aftermarket version of the Model 3; the Singer of M3's. He liked it a lot. I liked it. But that's not visionary.

Where's fooking Henry Ford when you need him?

[john70t]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

The big difference in battery storage is we have to put energy in, and take it back out at a rapid rate. The laws of thermodynamics show that produces heat, so cooling in needed.

A super-capacitor is a good buffer between the battery and motor-gen.
If they could figure a way to transfer without creating heat..

[asphaltgambler]

Interesting on comments above about power usage / storage / heat. Go onto UT, search Boston Dynamics robotics and see the technology that is now 'old' it will blow your mind. And that's just what they're making public. Hyundai, BTW, has bought them out.....

[3rd_gear_Ted]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

The big difference in battery storage is we have to put energy in, and take it back out at a rapid rate. The laws of thermodynamics show that produces heat, so cooling in needed.

One scientists watched the movie Terminator, and enjoyed it, but the energy pack and backup pack would produce so much heat it would take a huge cooling tower to prevent meltdown of the Terminator.

Heat, and controlling that heat is the biggest limiting factor.

No doubt, we (humans) will figure out more and more compact and efficient batteries, but controlling the heat is the biggest issue.

Correct; the improvement was about heat rejection

"NEO’s products have all achieved an initial coulombic efficiency (ICE) greater than 86%, and high specific capacity (>2500 mAh/g),” NEO expalins. “In addition, an ICE of 92% or higher can be attained when NEO’s silicon is mixed with existing graphite anodes.”

[Aurel]

Nothing new here. Silicon for Li-ion anodes has been known since I did my PhD 25 years ago, and the challenges remain the same, getting good cycle-life at high silicon loading. Li-ion cell producers use it mixed with graphite at around 10% on a routine basis.