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- May 18, 1997
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Everyone knows and loves our lithium ion batteries that power damn near every electronic device we use nowadays. However, LI batteries are dangerous, heavy, large, and expensive. If only there was a better way!
Not only could rechargeable zinc-based batteries possibly store as much energy as lithium-ion batteries, they could also be safer, cheaper, smaller and lighter, new research finds. The results suggest zinc batteries could find use in mild hybrids (microhybrids), electric vehicles, electric bicycles, and eventually, perhaps smartphones and power grid storage.
This article over at IEEE.Org is a good read on some of the science behind zinc-based batteries, but what is even more amazing is that they predict to be able to scale up this technology and have it ready to come to market by the end of 2019. Zinc batteries are nothing new, but having zinc batteries that can recharged many times are. You have to keep your Zinc dendrites from growing from anode to cathode causing an internal short, and that is exactly what the brainiacs at EnZinc have figured out how to suppress zinc dendrites. Guess they should have just looked up my 6th grade science fair experiment entitled, "Dendrite Suppression in Zinc Nickel Batteries." I did not think it was that big of a deal.
And remember, keep those LI batteries away from heat sources.
Not only could rechargeable zinc-based batteries possibly store as much energy as lithium-ion batteries, they could also be safer, cheaper, smaller and lighter, new research finds. The results suggest zinc batteries could find use in mild hybrids (microhybrids), electric vehicles, electric bicycles, and eventually, perhaps smartphones and power grid storage.
This article over at IEEE.Org is a good read on some of the science behind zinc-based batteries, but what is even more amazing is that they predict to be able to scale up this technology and have it ready to come to market by the end of 2019. Zinc batteries are nothing new, but having zinc batteries that can recharged many times are. You have to keep your Zinc dendrites from growing from anode to cathode causing an internal short, and that is exactly what the brainiacs at EnZinc have figured out how to suppress zinc dendrites. Guess they should have just looked up my 6th grade science fair experiment entitled, "Dendrite Suppression in Zinc Nickel Batteries." I did not think it was that big of a deal.
And remember, keep those LI batteries away from heat sources.