Graphene batteries: Introduction and Market News - Page 29

Researchers at Washington State University are working on graphene-based sodium-ion batteries that might provide a less expensive, viable alternative to lithium-ion batteries.

The researchers used tin oxide nanocrystals supported on a graphene structure to vastly improve the battery. The team explained that technology also could be used in lithium-ion batteries, making it more attractive for manufacturing.

Surwon Technology, a Hong Kong based materials developer, has reported a new graphene-based technique with the potential of doubling the life-time performance of conventional lithium-ion batteries.

The challenge for all energy dependent applications lies in creating a more robust, efficient battery fuel cell. We have found that graphene provides us with substantial flexibility as we continue to manipulate electrical behavior at the atomic level, commented Surwon Technology’s Chief Technology Officer.

Urbix Resources recently licensed a portfolio of technologies invented at the University of Arizona. Among these are a graphene exfoliation reactor, a graphite purification technique, a new electrode architecture and an electrolyte. These technologies were developed by a research professor at the UA College of Optical Sciences which is now the full-time chief technology officer at Urbix, overseeing the commercialization of these technologies.

Urbix executive chairman and co-founder Nico Cuevas sees these inventions as "transformational for the energy storage industry". The company has made steps beyond its original graphite commercialization business model to bring these new materials and battery cell designs to market.

New research by WMG at the University of Warwick has shown a novel approach to replacing graphite in the anodes of lithium-ion batteries using silicon, by reinforcing the anode’s structure with graphene girders. The team expects that this could more than double the life of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries by extending the operating lifetime of the electrode, and also increase the capacity delivered by such batteries.

Researchers and manufacturers have been looking for a way to replace graphite in batteries with silicon for a long time, as it is an abundantly available element with ten times the gravimetric energy density of graphite. However, silicon has several performance issues that have so far limited such use. Due to its volume expansion upon lithiation silicon particles can electrochemically agglomerate in ways that impede further charge-discharge efficiency over time. Silicon is also not intrinsically elastic enough to cope with the strain of lithiation when it is repeatedly charged, leading to cracking and rapid degradation of the anode’s composite microstructure. This contributes significantly to capacity fade, along with degradation events that occur in the the cathode.

Researchers at Northwestern University in the U.S have designed a way to use "crumpled graphene balls" to improve Li-ion batteries. The team explained that in current batteries, lithium is usually atomically distributed in another material like graphite or silicon in the anode. However, using an additional material 'dilutes' the battery's performance.

Since Lithium is a metal, it sounds logical to use lithium by itself, but researchers have spent years trying to do so without sufficient success. The biggest challenge has been that when lithium charges and discharges, it can generate dendrites and filaments, with implications for safety and reliability. The team said: "At best, it leads to rapid degradation of the battery's performance. At worst, it causes the battery to short or even catch fire."

XG Sciences, a US-based developer and producer of graphene flakes, has announced its plan to invest millions in expanding its Lansing-area facilities. The company will start operating out of new 64,000 square-foot facility in Vevay Township in March.

The company was formed in 2006 based on work out of Michigan State University. The company's technology can be used in automotive batteries and as wire coatings in electronics to prevent microchips from overheating. Some of the material has been used in Samsung phones as a thermally conductive adhesive, said current CEO Philip Rose. Rose also said the expansion marks the first phase in a move toward larger scale commercialization for the company.

Today we published new versions of all our graphene market reports. Graphene-Info provides comprehensive niche graphene market reports, and our reports cover everything you need to know about these niche markets. The reports are now updated to January 2018.

The Graphene Batteries Market Report:

• The advantages using graphene batteries
• The different ways graphene can be used in batteries
• Various types of graphene materials
• What's on the market today
• Detailed specifications of some graphene-enhanced anode material
• Personal contact details into most graphene developers

The report package provides a good introduction to the graphene battery - present and future. It includes a list of all graphene companies involved with batteries and gives detailed specifications of some graphene-enhanced anode materials and contact details into most graphene developers. Read more here!

A new graphene-based fast charging USB-C battery pack has started its crowdfunding quest on Kickstarter. At the time of writing, the campaign already raised $48,860, much more than the pledged $10,000 goal. Describing itself as the world’s first portable USB-C power bank which works using graphene-based composite packs, it is smaller than many power packs available on the market, and promises to be able to recharge in just 20 minutes.

The Kickstarter page reads: "Apollo realizes application of graphene composite cell to mobile power pack for the first time in the world (Graphene composite Provided by CellsX). On the basis of the same capacity and the same charging current, the cell with graphene composite material has much smaller internal resistance and better conductivity. Therefore, the temperature rise is lower during super fast charging, so it is safer, and cell swelling and burning will never happen".

Researchers from Zhejiang University in China have developed a safe, flexible, fast-charging aluminum-graphene battery. The team's design relies on using graphene films as the anode and metallic aluminum as the cathode. It was reported that the battery could work well after quarter-million cycles and can be fully charged in seconds.

Experiments showed that the battery retains 91% of its original capacity after 250,000 recharges, surpassing all the previous batteries in terms of cycle life. In quick-charge mode, the battery can be fully charged in 1.1 seconds, according to the team. The assembled battery also works well in temperatures range of minus 40 to 120 degrees Celsius. It can be folded, and does not explode when exposed to fire.

Swinburne researchers have received 3.45 million AUD (around $2.64 USD) in funding to continue work on a project investigating energy storage alternatives using graphene oxide. Swinburne will receive the grant as part of the Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) funds commissioned by the Australian Government. The Swinburne Centre for Micro-Photonics is collaborating with Flinders University as well as First Graphene and Kremford.

The ‘High performance energy storage alternative to lithium ion batteries’ project is working towards creating commercially viable and chemical-free batteries using graphene. This involves the production of a graphene oxide-based supercapacitor. Swinburne Researchers are developing the Bolt Electricity Storage Technology (BEST) battery a graphene oxide-based supercapacitor offering high performance and low-cost energy storage.