Graphene batteries: Introduction and Market News - Page 42

A recent IDTechEx research predicts that the graphene market will reach nearly $200 million by 2026, with the estimation that the largest sectors will be composites, energy applications and graphene coatings.

Graphene inks are said to be constantly improving (while their prices seem to be dropping), which might promote, among others, applications like sensor electrodes and smart packaging. In the transparent conductive film industry, however, it is estimated that graphene will not be able to compete with ITO films.

Samsung researchers reportedly developed materials that can be used to double the capacity of Li-ion batteries. The key to the more efficient batteries is a new graphene-based cathode material. It is a new silicon cathode material "coded with high-crystalline graphene". As deployed in its lithium-ion batteries the new cathodes produce cells "with twice as much capacity as ordinary lithium-ion batteries," according to various reports.

This research presents a dramatic improvement of the capacity of lithium-ion batteries by applying a new synthesis method of high-crystalline graphene to a high-capacity silicon cathode. Samsung's team used silicon cathodes instead of graphite ones; this is not a novel approach, since many previous studies have also used it. The challenge, however, is that the silicon can expand or contract during the battery charging and discharging cycles. Samsung addressed this issue by creating a process to grow graphene cells directly on the silicon in layers that can adjust to allow for the silicon's expansion: "The graphene layers anchored onto the silicon surface accommodate the volume expansion of silicon via a sliding process between adjacent graphene layers. When paired with a commercial lithium cobalt oxide cathode, the silicon carbide-free graphene coating allows the full cell to reach volumetric energy densities of 972 and 700 Wh l-1 at first and 200th cycle, respectively, 1.8 and 1.5 times higher than those of current commercial lithium-ion batteries."

We're happy to announce our first graphene market report, the Graphene Batteries Market Report. This report is a comprehensive guide to graphene-enhanced batteries with valuable market insights, and covers everything you need to know about graphene in this field. This is a great report for anyone involved with the battery market, nanomaterials, electric vehicles and mobile devices.

Reading this report, you'll learn all about:

• 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

The report package also provides:

• A list of all graphene companies involved with batteries
• Detailed specifications of some graphene-enhanced anode materials
• Personal contact details into most graphene developers
• Free updates for a year

Researchers at the Harbin Institute of Technology in China and the University of Michigan in the US demonstrated improved LFP battery cathode, augmented by reduced graphene oxide. The scientists used reduced graphene oxide (rGO) in LFP battery cathodes to create a new high surface area 3D composite.

LFP (or LiFePO4) is a kind of Li-Ion rechargeable battery for high power applications, such as electric vehicls, Power Tools and more. LFP cells feature high discharging current, non explosive nature and long cycle life, but its energy density is lower than normal Li-Ion cell. In this study, the researchers created the composite using a nickel foam template that was coated with layers of graphene oxide. The graphene oxide reduced as the LFP nanoparticles were synthesized in a simple technique that allows larger amounts of the LFP to be loaded into the carbon material.

Korean researchers at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology designed a lithium-sulfur battery with vitamin C treated dual-layered cathode, that achieved a 20% improvement in performance compared to traditional ones.

Lithium-sulfur batteries boast a superior energy density, which is why they are hoped to someday be used in electric vehicles, but disadvantages like poor cycle performance and low charge/discharge rates are still in the way. This study presented a vitamin C treated dual-layered cathode, which is composed of a sulfur active layer and a polysulfide absorption layer, that can increase sulfur utilization dramatically resulting in a lithium-sulfur battery with a high specific capacity of over 600 mAh/g after 100 cycles even under a high current rate of 1C.

Graphene-info is currently working on its "graphene for the battery market" report, which will provide a comprehensive and in-depth look at graphene's possibilities in battery applications, the current graphene battery market, different battery uses and functions, currently used technologies and a detailed survey of the roles graphene may take in enhancing or altogether changing known battery paradigms.

An important part of the report will detail the companies that make-up the market and have ongoing graphene battery projects and/or R&D activities. It will include a review of the scope of their work in the field, recent developments and contact details. Despite our deep understanding of the market and good ties to the industry, we'd still like to extend a call to all related companies that wish to be included in this report to contact us and update us on their latest graphene battery projects, at no cost on your end. We believe that being included in this report is a good way of exposing your work to a greater audience and is beneficial for both the company and the industry as a whole.

Researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory created graphene aerogel microlattices with an engineered architecture using a 3D printing technique known as direct ink writing. These lightweight aerogels have high surface area, excellent electrical conductivity, mechanical stiffness and exhibit supercompressibility (up to 90% compressive strain). In addition, the researchers claim that these 3D printed graphene aerogel microlattices show great improvement over bulk graphene materials and much better mass transport.

A common problem in creating bulk graphene aerogels is the occurrence of a largely random pore structure, thus excluding the ability to tailor transport and additional mechanical properties of the material for specific applications such as batteries and sensors. Making graphene aerogels with engineered architectures is greatly assisted by 3D printing, which allows to design the pore structure of the aerogel, permitting control over many properties. This development, as per the scientists, could open up the design space for using aerogels in novel and creative applications.

Researchers at the University of Illinois designed a single-step method of creating textures in graphene ("crumpling") to allow for larger surface areas, thus tapping into graphene's benefits for electronics. The scientists believe that "crumpled" graphene may also be used as high surface area electrodes for batteries and supercapacitors. As a coating layer, the 3D graphene could allow omniphobic/anti-bacterial surfaces for advanced coating applications.

The "crumpling" process is based on a known shape-memory polymer substrate (a material capable of returning to its original shape after being distorted, mostly by thermal means). The thermoplastic nature of the substrate also allows for the crumpled graphene morphology to be arbitrarily re-flattened at the same elevated temperature for the crumpling process. 

Researchers at Beihang University in China developed new cathode materials for lithium-sulfur batteries, made from vertically aligned sulfurgraphene (S-G) nanowalls on electrically conductive substrates. 

These new cathodes are reported to allow fast diffusion of lithium ions and electrons and achieve an excellent capacity (of 1261 mAh g¹ in the first cycle, and over 1210 mAh g¹ after 120 cycles) and high-rate performance (more than 400 mAh g¹ at 8C, 13.36 A g¹). The scientists claim that these impressive figures position it as the best demonstrated rate performance for sulfur-graphene cathodes.

Stanford's recent development of a graphene-aluminum battery that is flexible, safe, stable and capable of charging quickly has been piquing interest around the world.

Here is a video that demonstrates this extraordinary battery: