Greener ‘water batteries’ a step closer (www.theguardian.com)
from chrisbit@leminal.space to technology@lemmy.world on 21 Feb 2024 21:40
https://leminal.space/post/4106440

#technology

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stoy@lemmy.zip on 21 Feb 2024 23:28 next collapse

X

I see many “could” in the text, I have been burned by other articles claiming their specific thing will change established practicies for the better, most have failed.

Untill the tech has been proven useful I will remain sceptic

Maco1969@lemmy.world on 21 Feb 2024 23:47 next collapse

That’s alright, fusion is only ten years away!

tsonfeir@lemm.ee on 22 Feb 2024 05:23 collapse

The year of the Linux desktop fusion power!

essteeyou@lemmy.world on 23 Feb 2024 03:34 collapse

Hey, I thought it was the year of grapheme solving everything.

Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works on 22 Feb 2024 00:14 next collapse

You should quadruple your skeptism if it has anything to do with battery technology.

TWeaK@lemm.ee on 22 Feb 2024 00:44 collapse

I think the comparisons against lithium ion are a bit pie in the sky, however they’ve apparently solved a number of issues that face lead acid batteries, eg dendrite formation and charge cycles (they did 500-700 with a reduction to 80% capacity, whereas lead acid typically can only do about 350 cycles). Zinc is typically much worse than lead acid for dendrites, but their bismuth oxide layer might make it perform better than lead acid.

Even so, I’m skeptical that such a process could be commercialised and compete with lead acid on cost. The way they seem to target their comparisons towards lithium batteries further suggests this.

Maybe there is some niche where lithium is overkill and this could be viable, though, who knows. BESS on the electrical network is massively growing, so there’s probably some scope for people to try this there also - especially with regards to fire risk, which some people (particularly planning authorities) are getting nervous about.

The full paper can be found for free here: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/…/adma.202400237. It has smiley faces in the diagrams.

AA5B@lemmy.world on 22 Feb 2024 00:07 next collapse

Seems like Gatorade, a water based electrolyte, instead of an acid based electrolyte. It’s mostly about less toxic and cheaper which are pluses, but nothing really about how well they work

TWeaK@lemm.ee on 22 Feb 2024 00:33 collapse

but nothing really about how well they work

There was a brief mention in the article about how they used a bismuth oxide layer to prevent dendrites from forming, that’s novel and cool. However I think the bigger issue is material cost - bismuth costs much more than lead acid.

The full article is freely available here: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/…/adma.202400237

Alto@kbin.social on 22 Feb 2024 02:35 collapse

Hey I understood some of those words!

Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works on 22 Feb 2024 00:13 next collapse

Finally! Are these ones I can swallow?

dan1101@lemm.ee on 22 Feb 2024 01:06 collapse

Bite into an Aquafina!

TWeaK@lemm.ee on 22 Feb 2024 00:29 next collapse

The managing director of Deakin University’s Battery Research and Innovation Hub, Dr Timothy Khoo, who was not involved in the research, said he was sceptical about any claims water batteries may one day replace lithium-ion, but said the protective layer developed by the RMIT-led team represents a “novel and quite unique” approach that solves “a key stability issue” with battery technology.

Pretty much my thoughts exactly when I read the article. The lead researcher of this project is bigging it up well beyond any rational scope, but they do have a novel invention here for dealing with dendrites in batteries.

Perhaps their technique could be applied to more conventional batteries, though I’m somewhat doubtful. Bismuth isn’t exactly cheap, which is why lead acid dominates for most things.

rhythmisaprancer@kbin.social on 22 Feb 2024 04:03 next collapse

The last time something like this was posted (by a less reputable source admittedly) I was hopeful and defensive. From what I've read since then, essentially, show me the battery.

FunkPhenomenon@lemmy.zip on 22 Feb 2024 07:26 collapse

having a water battery in and or near electronics seems like a horrible idea

XTornado@lemmy.ml on 22 Feb 2024 09:09 next collapse

I prefer water than other terrible stuff inside it… Specially if it reduces the possibility of a fire. Water damages just that device… fire can burn the whole building if not detected early.

Shawdow194@kbin.social on 22 Feb 2024 12:02 collapse

You're right, the current sulfuric acid and potassium hydroxide we use right now are just flowers are roses compared to... water

SharkAttak@kbin.social on 23 Feb 2024 03:14 collapse

You use car batteries in your PC??

essteeyou@lemmy.world on 23 Feb 2024 03:35 collapse

You’re worried about the amount of liquid present in a battery that fits on a motherboard? Or are you talking about laptop batteries?

SharkAttak@kbin.social on 24 Feb 2024 14:01 collapse

No you talked about sulfuric acid, and that is usually in car batteries, not in the ones used for motherboards and the like.

essteeyou@lemmy.world on 24 Feb 2024 17:50 collapse

Well, someone else did, but sure.