Breakthrough in nonferrous aluminum-lithium battery technology

Can a nonflammable battery replace a lithium ion battery?

Now Alsym Energy has developed a nonflammable, nontoxic alternative to lithium-ion batteries to help renewables like wind and solar bridge the gap in a broader range of sectors. The company’s electrodes use relatively stable, abundant materials, and its electrolyte is primarily water with some nontoxic add-ons.

Could a rechargeable aluminum battery replace a lithium-ion battery?

“We have developed a rechargeable aluminum battery that may replace existing storage devices, such as alkaline batteries, which are bad for the environment, and lithium-ion batteries, which occasionally burst into flames,” said Hongjie Dai, a professor of chemistry at Stanford. “Our new battery won’t catch fire, even if you drill through it.”

What is an ultrafast rechargeable aluminum-ion battery?

Dai and his colleagues describe their novel aluminum-ion battery in “An ultrafast rechargeable aluminum-ion battery,” which will be published in the April 6 advance online edition of the journal Nature. Aluminum has long been an attractive material for batteries, mainly because of its low cost, low flammability and high-charge storage capacity.

What is a lithium metal battery?

In a lithium metal battery, the graphite anode is replaced with electroplated lithium metal, which enables it to store twice the energy of a lithium-ion battery in the same amount of space. The lithium metal anode also weighs less than the graphite anode, which is important for EVs.

Could a high-performance aluminum battery be a safe alternative to commercial batteries?

Stanford University scientists have invented the first high-performance aluminum battery that’s fast-charging, long-lasting and inexpensive. Researchers say the new technology offers a safe alternative to many commercial batteries in wide use today.

What materials are used to make an aluminum ion battery?

A key challenge has been finding materials capable of producing sufficient voltage after repeated cycles of charging and discharging. An aluminum-ion battery consists of two electrodes: a negatively charged anode made of aluminum and a positively charged cathode. “People have tried different kinds of materials for the cathode,” Dai said.