Issue 2 (2019)
Week 7-13 January 2019
Welcome to a new edition of our Last Week In Batteries digest!
This weekly digest of developments in the battery space is intended as a demonstration of what one can do with Avogadro One. Avogadro One allows capturing relevant news easily and quickly, saving you valuable time. If you want to know when you can use Avogadro One for your own research, please sign up to our mailing list here. We would also be happy to hear any feedback.
This is a very basic review of last week's events relevant to the battery and fuel cell industries. We do not pretend to be experts in this space but as investors we find such an overview helpful. The digest is intentionally very brief and dry and is intended as a demonstration rather as an end product. We'd love to hear what tools/software/platforms you use to stay abreast of the events in your industries of interest. Please answer our anonymous questionnaire.
Heterogeneous catalysis model conundrum solved
Chemists from Leiden University have put to rest an almost 40-year debate over how exactly chemical reactions in heterogeneous catalysis work. There were two proposed models but scientists could not agree on which one was actually correct. This result can help design new and better catalysts for fuel cells.
Impact areas: Fuel cell catalysts
Cartilage-like material for structural batteries
Researchers from the University of Michigan have designed a solid membrane, inspired by cartilage, for structural zinc batteries. Structural batteries are built into the structural elements of devices, such as drone wings or EV bumpers. The prototype battery is safe, resistant to damage and "can extend the flight time by 5 to 25 percent" when used as a secondary power source in a drone.
Impact areas: Batteries for electric vehicles, aircraft, drones etc.
Source: https://news.umich.edu/cartilage-could-be-key-to-safe-structural-batteries/
2D catalysts for lithium-air batteries boost capacity by up to 10x
Scientists from University of Illinois at Chicago have studied the performance 15 different types of 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) as catalysts in lithium-air batteries. Their results show that it is possible to increase battery capacity by up to 10 times. According to one of the researchers, “Currently, electric vehicles average about 100 miles per charge, but with the incorporation of 2D catalysts into lithium-air batteries, we could provide closer to 400 to 500 miles per charge, which would be a real game-changer.”
Impact areas: Lithium-air batteries, Electric vehicles
Source: https://today.uic.edu/2d-materials-may-enable-electric-vehicles-to-get-500-miles-on-a-single-charge
New anode for sodium-ion batteries
Researchers from the Kim Il Sung University are proposing TiO2 crystals with trigonal bipyramid (TB) structures as a promising anode material for sodium-ion batteries.
Impact areas: Sodium-ion batteries
Source: https://arxiv.org/abs/1901.02641
Nanofiber catalyst for fuel cells
Scientists at Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science & Technology (DGIST) have developed a new catalyst for fuel cells based on carbon nanofibers containing nitrogen, cobalt and ceria. According to the researchers, "ceria could be considered among the most promising materials for use with cobalt on nitrogen-doped carbon nanorods to produce stable catalysts with enhanced electrochemical activity" in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs).
Impact areas: Fuel cell costs
Source: https://www.dgist.ac.kr/en/html/sub06/060202.html?mode=V&no=605b1dc8a7797b5d5b9aa26d89a67005
Model for fault detection and diagnostics in lithium-ion batteries
Researchers from Clarkson University have developed a statistical model to identify thermal dynamic faults such as thermal runaway in li-ion batteries.
Impact areas: Li-Ion battery safety
Source: https://arxiv.org/abs/1901.02693
Model predicts lithium-ion will be the cheapest technology by 2030
Scientists from Imperial College London have built a model which predicts that lithium-ion batteries will be the most competitive energy storage technology "in majority of applications from 2030."
Impact areas: Energy storage technologies
Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S254243511830583X
Best doping materials for lithium-ion batteries
Screening by Japanese researchers has identified that Bi- or Nb-doping would be the best candidate to improve the cycle performance in lithium-ion batteries.
Impact areas: Li-Ion battery performance
Source: https://arxiv.org/abs/1901.02261
Estimating the stability potential window of solid-state electrolyte
A team of researchers from IBM Research is proposing a method to estimate the stability potential window of solid-state electrolyte (SSE) materials in all-solid-state batteries. In their paper they provide an explanation why batteries lose charge over time.
Impact areas: Li-Ion & Na-Ion battery performance
Source: https://arxiv.org/abs/1901.02251
House-like anode for lithium-metal batteries
Researchers from Tsinghua University and Beijing Institute of Technology have proposed a new structure for the lithium anode in lithium-metal batteries to prevent dendrites and swelling.
Impact areas: Li-metal battery safety and durability
Source: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-01/scp-lap010919.php
Alternative to platinum catalysts in fuel cells
Scientists from Oak Ridge National Laboratory suggest that low-cost carbon-nitrogen-manganese-based catalyst can be used in fuel cells instead of platinum.
Impact areas: Fuel cell costs
Source: https://www.ornl.gov/news/vehicles-fuel-cell-power
Study of silicon-graphite anode in li-ion batteries
Researchers from Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology have studied silicon-graphite anodes, reporting on their degradation.
Impact areas: Li-ion battery durability
Source: https://arxiv.org/abs/1901.01491