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Calcium as the key ingredient in batteries has shown promise as a replacement for lithium, which is not only expensive but has become environmentally controversial as more mines are proposed for sensitive areas.
However, the technology has suffered from two lethal problems: electrons move through calcium-ion batteries inefficiently, meaning they don’t produce a lot of current, and they also can become unstable.
At the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, researchers seem to have vaulted both obstacles, opening the way for cheaper, more sustainable batteries in uses ranging from electric vehicles to grid storage.
Using computer simulations followed up with lab tests, the team found that calcium ions – which carry the current in calcium battery – move smoothly along a series of molecules consisting of carbon and oxygen atoms that are double-bonded and placed inside a porous structure that isn’t too dense.
The discovery resulted in the scientists creating a new semi-solid electrolyte for calcium-ion batteries. Test batteries incorporating the new electrolyte retained about 75 percent of their storage capacity after 1,000 charging and discharging cycles.
“Our research highlights the transformative potential of calcium-ion batteries as a sustainable alternative to lithium-ion technology,” team leader Yoonseob Kim said in an announcement of the work.
“By leveraging the unique properties of [these materials], we have taken a significant step towards realizing high-performance energy storage solutions that can meet the demands of a greener future,” he added.
TRENDPOST: The new battery architecture’s durability needs to be improved. That’s a matter of engineering. The discovery itself advances calcium-ion batteries as a contender to replace lithium cells with ones made from a far more abundant and less expensive material, which could dramatically lower the cost of energy storage systems.