a peek into the battery technology pipeline

[electruck]

https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2019/12/11/a-peek-into-the-battery-technology-pipeline/

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[EyeOnRivian]

Interesting article, thanks for posting.

I think it's great they're looking for better alternatives for battery storage other than using lithium ion. However, what I also found interesting was how the author singled out lithium-ion batteries for the use of cobalt.

"Despite their ubiquity, lithium-ion batteries have disadvantages. Metals used in the batteries are becoming expensive and one crucial metal, cobalt, is relatively rare and has had recent media focus on questionable mining practices in some regions."​

If that's the case one would think the ICE vehicle industry bigots would be all over that as fodder to stay with ICE and avoid BEVs. There's a good reason they don't. Cobalt is used to in the process to refine petroleum.

"Cobalt contributes to a greener society by acting as a catalyst in desulphurisation reactions. These reactions remove sulphur from natural gas and from refined petroleum products, such as petrol (or gasoline), diesel, kerosene fuels and fuel oils used in automotive vehicles, aircraft, ships, gas or oil burning power plants and residential and industrial furnaces." Source: Cobalt Institute.​

I don't recall the ratio but the amount of petroleum produced today far exceeds lithium ion batteries. Seems like the bigger-bang-for-the-buck to reduce cobalt usage would be to look into bettering the process of refining petroleum ... while also reducing the use of it.

 

[ajdelange]

I dunno about that article. They say using polyvalent metals leads to less overall metal use and that's true on a molar basis but on an equivalent basis it isn't. Fe(III) has equivalent weight 18, AL(III) 9 but Li(I) is only 7. Am I missing something?

 

[davrow_R1T]

Am I missing something?

I don't think you are missing anything. My 2002 RAV4 EV used NiMH batteries. Great batteries, but much heavier than comparable capacity LI-Ion.

 

[Nordic]

FWIW

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/ibm-unveils-eco-friendly-battery-194501036.html

 

[skyote]

Another one for those interested:

https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2020/01/09/battery-technology-news-roundup-zinc-battery-funding/

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