Researchers at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) have designed a molecule to improve the performance of lithium-oxygen batteries to give electric vehicles the same driving range as petrol-fuelled cars.
Lithium-oxygen batteries employ cutting-edge technology aimed to deliver maximum energy density through breathing air to generate electricity . To date, however , they have been beset by challenges, including low discharge capacity, poor energy efficiency, and severe parasitic reactions. This new all-in-one molecule can simultaneously tackle those problems.
According to the researchers, their new discovery resolved several existing obstacles and created the likelihood of developing a long-life, energy-dense lithium-oxygen battery that was highly efficient.
“Batteries are changing fundamentally, ” said UTS Professor Guoxiu Wang, who led the research team. “They will facilitate the transition towards a climate-neutral society and open up new industry opportunities for a country like Australia that’s rich in the fundamental elements for building batteries. They will also help utilities improve power quality and reliability and help governments around the world achieve net-zero carbon emissions . ”
The study reports a lithium-oxygen battery operated via a new quenching/mediating mechanism that relies on the direct chemical reactions between a versatile molecule and superoxide radical/Li2O2. The battery exhibits a 46-fold escalation in discharge capacity, a low charge overpotential of 0. 7 V, and an ultralong cycle life greater than 1400 cycles.
“Our rationally designed and synthesized PDI-TEMPO molecule opens a new avenue for developing high-performance Li-O2 batteries, ” Professor Wang said . “The capacity of next-generation lithium-oxygen batteries to extend the driving range between charges would be a significant leap forward for the electric vehicle industry. We are confident our all-in-one molecule can dramatically improve the performances of lithium-oxygen batteries and enable new generation lithium-oxygen batteries to be practical. ”
New molecule could boost performance of lithium-oxygen EV batteries
Source: Tambay News
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