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A new Li-ion battery technology developed by the US military has sparked the interest of Jeff Dahn, Tesla's lead research partner in batteries.
In the latest issue of Nature, the CCDC's Army Research Laboratory (ARL), part of the US military, published a study demonstrating a new battery technology based on new cathodic chemistry.
They claim that the chemistry is "completely free of transition metal and offers unprecedented high capacity by reversibly storing Li-ion at high potential (~ 4.2 V)".
According to the results, the new technology "opens the possibility of significantly increasing the energy density of the lithium-ion battery while preserving the safety due to the aqueous nature of the electrolyte".
Combined with their previous development of "water-salt electrolytes (WiSE)", they claim to be able to achieve an impressive energy density of 460 Wh / Kg.
Some soldiers must carry between 15 and 25 pounds of batteries and this technology could significantly reduce this weight while making the battery safer.
Dr. Kang Xu, researcher at ARL and senior chemist, said about development:
"A new battery that is as energetic, safe and potentially flexible will likely provide soldiers with what they need on the battlefield: a reliable, high-energy source with a robust tolerance for abuse. It should significantly improve the soldier's mobility and lethality while alleviating logistical constraints. "
Although developed for this purpose, ARL also claims that it could end up "in civil applications for portable electronics, electric vehicles and large scale network storage".
Several battery researchers commented on the new study, including Professor Jeff Dahn, who was particularly excited about the document:
"The article from the University of Maryland and the Army Army is the most creative new battery chemistry I've seen in at least 10 years. The fact that LiCl and LiBr reversibly convert and form halogen-intercalated graphite is truly incredible. The team demonstrated encouraging reversibility for 150 cycles and showed that high energy densities could be achieved in 4-volt cells containing neither transition nor non-aqueous solvents. It remains to be seen whether a long-lived and practical commercial unit can be developed, but this research fascinates me a great deal. "
Dahn is considered a pioneer of Li-ion battery cells. He has been working on Li-ion batteries since they were invented. He is known to have helped increase the lifecycle of cells, which has facilitated their commercialization. His work now focuses on a potential increase in energy density and sustainability.
In 2016, Dahn transferred his research group from his 20-year research contract with 3M to a new association with Tesla as part of the new NSERC / Tesla Canada Industrial Research study.
Earlier this year, we reported that it was filing a new patent for a battery cell for Tesla, claiming faster charging, better durability and lower cost.
He and his students have developed new chemicals that are already making their way into Tesla's batteries.
With regard to the development of this new battery, Dr. Kang said that "it is necessary to continue research to turn it into a practical battery on a large scale."
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