Browse Topic: Electrolytes
Additive manufacturing (AM) processes facilitate the production of components with high geometrical complexity, presenting substantial opportunities for innovation in demanding sectors such as aerospace and biomedical engineering. A significant challenge impeding their broader application is the characteristic surface roughness of as-fabricated parts, which results from the layer-wise construction and the presence of partially melted powder particles. While electrochemical polishing (EP) represents a viable post-processing technique for achieving a smooth surface finish, a comprehensive understanding of how the non-equilibrium microstructures characteristic of AM materials interact with the EP process remains incomplete. This investigation centers on the electrochemical polishing behavior of Ti-6Al-4V alloy fabricated by direct energy deposition (DED), utilizing a sodium chloride-ethylene glycol electrolyte. The findings reveal that the material's distinct engenders anisotropic anodic dissolution. This behavior is attributed to the differential electrochemical potentials among the constituent phases and their crystallographic orientations, which consequently narrows the operational process window for effective, uniform polishing. This preferential dissolution of certain phases results in the formation of a subtle, micro-scale topographical variation that mirrors the orientation of the original columnar grain structure. Notwithstanding this microstructural influence, the EP treatment proved highly successful in refining the surface finish, substantially decreasing the average surface roughness from 0.350 μm to 0.042 μm. Concurrently, the treatment led to a significant enhancement in the alloy's corrosion resistance, attributed to an oxide layer. These findings underscore the critical necessity of accounting for microstructural characteristics when developing optimized electrochemical polishing protocols for additively manufactured components.
Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are becoming a strong candidate for large-scale energy storage applications due to their cost-effectiveness and abundant sodium resource reserves. Ether solvents have advantages such as excellent low-temperature performance and good reduction stability. However, poor oxidation stability limits the use of ether-based electrolytes, which need to be addressed urgently. In this study, 1 M sodium tetrafluoroborate (NaBF4) and 0.05 M sodium difluoro(oxalato)borate (NaDFOB) were added in tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (G4), which is named “BDG4”. BDG4 electrolyte can promote the formation of cathode electrolyte interface (CEI) layers containing NaF and B─O/B─Na inorganic components on the surface of the cathode. The dense CEI layers can prevent the solvent from undergoing oxidation reactions. Therefore, thanks to the lower highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy level of G4 and its close coordination structure with Na+, the electrolyte has a high-voltage stability exceeding 4.5 V versus Na+/Na. Therefore, BDG4 electrolyte can be stably cycled on Na3(VO)2(PO4)2F (NVOPF) and NaNi1/3Fe1/3Mn1/3O2 (NFM) cathode for over 250 cycles at room temperature, exhibiting a high Coulombic Efficiency (CE) exceeding 99.8%. Furthermore, BDG4 demonstrated excellent rate performance of NFM cathode, maintaining 75% capacity retention even at 4 C. Due to the stable solid electrolyte interface (SEI) layers formed by the mixture of inorganic and organic components, BDG4 electrolyte can also cycle stably on the Hard Carbon (HC) anode. Therefore, the commercial NFM||HC pouch full cell can cycle stably with 88.3% capacity retention after 80 cycles. This work reveals the role of NaDFOB and provides a feasible approach for the design of high-voltage ether electrolytes of SIBs.
Scientists are racing against time to try and create revolutionary, sustainable energy sources (such as solid-state batteries) to combat climate change. However, this race is more like a marathon, as conventional approaches are trial-and-error in nature, typically focusing on testing individual materials and setting pathways one by one. To get us to the finish line faster, researchers at Tohoku University developed a data-driven AI framework that points out potential solid-state electrolyte (SSE) candidates that could be “the one” to create the ideal sustainable energy solution.
Researchers developed wearable skin sensors that can detect what’s in a person’s sweat. Using the sensors, monitoring perspiration could bypass the need for more invasive procedures like blood draws and provide real-time updates on health problems such as dehydration or fatigue. The sensor design can be rapidly manufactured using a roll-to-roll processing technique that essentially prints the sensors onto a sheet of plastic.
Southwest Research Institute is working to expand software normally used to model electrolytes and predict corrosion and turn it into a tool that can help determine whether ice-covered worlds have the right conditions for microbial life. The project is supported by NASA’s Habitable Worlds program, which seeks to use knowledge of the history of the Earth and the life upon it as a guide for determining the processes and conditions that create and maintain habitable environments.
Technological advances have led to the widespread use of electric devices and vehicles. These innovations are not only convenient but also environmentally friendly, offering an alternative to polluting fuel-driven machines. Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are widely used in electrical appliances and vehicles. Commercial LIBs comprise an organic electrolyte solution, which is considered indispensable to make them energy efficient. However, ensuring safety becomes a concern and may be difficult to achieve with the rising market demand.
Researchers have developed a pacifier designed to monitor a baby’s electrolyte levels in real time, potentially eliminating the need for repeated invasive blood draws. The team constructed a tiny tunnel, or microfluidic channel, into the body of the pacifier.
The intention of this exploration is to evolve an optimization method for the Electrochemical Machining (ECM) process on Haste alloy material, taking into account various performance characteristics. The optimization relies on the amalgamation of the Taguchi method with an Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS). Haste alloy is extensively utilized in the aerospace, nuclear, marine, and car sectors, specifically in situations that are prone to corrosion. The experimental trials are organized based on Taguchi's principles and involve three machining variables: feed rate, electrolyte flow rate, and electrolyte concentration. This examination examines performance indicators, including the pace at which material is removed and the roughness of the surface. It also includes geometric factors such as overcut, shape, and tolerance for orientation. The results suggest that the rate at which the feed is supplied is the most influential element affecting the necessary performance standards. For improving the accuracy of predictions, numerous regression models are created and performance metrics are constructed. A validation test was performed to authenticate the findings acquired through the ANFIS methodology. The test outcomes show that the suggested strategy is considerably more efficient than earlier approaches.
The aspiration of this exploration is to evolve an optimization technique for the Electrochemical Drilling process on Haste alloy material, considering various performance factors. The Taguchi approach, along with Grey Relational Analysis (GRA), forms the basis for optimization. Haste alloy has a wider range of uses in industries such as aerospace, nuclear, and marine, especially in harsh environments. The experimental trials conducted in accordance with Taguchi's approach have utilized three machining variables: feed rate, electrolyte flow rate, and electrolyte concentration. When doing this examination, we analyze not only the rate at which material is removed and the roughness of the surface, but also other characteristics that indicate performance, such as overcut, shape, and orientation tolerance. The analytical findings indicate that the feed rate is the primary factor that directly impacts the required performance standards. Regression models are constructed to make predictions, and performance measures are established to assess their effectiveness. The test results unequivocally showed that the new procedure is markedly superior to the prior one.
The aim of this study is to create an Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) model for the Electrochemical Machining (ECM) process using Nimonic Alloy material, with a specific focus on several performance aspects. The optimization strategy utilizes the combination of the Taguchi method and ANFIS integration. Nimonic Alloy is widely employed in the aerospace, nuclear, marine, and car sectors, especially in situations that are susceptible to corrosion. The experimental trials are designed according to Taguchi's method and involve three machining variables: feed rate, electrolyte flow rate, and electrolyte concentration. This study investigates performance indicators, such as the rate at which material is removed, the roughness of the surface, and geometric characteristics, including overcut, shape, and tolerance for orientation. Based on the analysis, it has been determined that the feed rate is the main component that influences the intended performance criteria. In order to improve the precision of forecasts, numerous regression models are created and performance indicators are formulated. A validation test was performed to affirm the results achieved through the use of the ANFIS methodology. The test findings indicate that the proposed strategy surpasses previous methodologies to a significant degree.
The objective of this research is to develop an optimization strategy for the Electrochemical Drilling process on Nimonic alloy material, taking into account various performance factors. The optimization strategy relies on the integration of the Taguchi method with Grey Relational Analysis (GRA). Nimonic is extensively utilized in aerospace, nuclear, and marine industries, specifically in situations that are prone to corrosion. The experimental trials are structured based on Taguchi's principle and encompass three machining variables: feed rate, electrolyte flow rate, and electrolyte concentration. This inquiry examines performance indicators like the rate of material removal, surface roughness, as well as geometric parameters such as overcut, shape, and orientation tolerance. Based on the investigation, it is determined that the feed rate is the primary factor that directly affects the intended performance criteria. In order to enhance the accuracy of predictions, multiple regression models are created and performance metrics are constructed. A validation test was performed to corroborate the findings acquired using the GRA approach. The test results demonstrate that the proposed strategy is markedly superior to earlier approaches.
Existing commercial battery technologies, which use liquid electrolytes and carbonaceous anodes, have certain drawbacks such as safety concerns, limited lifespan, and inadequate power density particularly at high temperatures. This has prompted researchers to search for solid electrolytes that are safe and compatible with lithium metal anodes, which are known for their high theoretical specific power capacity.
Anode-free sodium metal batteries (AFSMBs) with initial zero sodium anodes are promising energy-storage devices to achieve high energy density and low cost. The morphology and reversibility of sodium controls the cycling lifespan of the AFSMBs, which is directly affected by the separator. Here, we compared the sodium deposition and corresponding electrochemical behaviors under the influence of three commercial separators, which were Celgard 2500, Al2O3-coated PP separator and glass fiber (denoting as 2500, C-PP and GF). Firstly, the reversibility of sodium plating/stripping was tested using half-cells, where coulombic efficiencies were stable at ~99.89% for C-PP and GF compare to 99.65% for 2500, indicating more dead sodium were formed for 2500. Then, the morphologies of deposited sodium were compared using optical microscopy. Compared to inhomogeneous sodium growth under 2500, C-PP obtained more flatter sodium layer with less height difference, attributing to the high mechanical strength of Al2O3 layer. Differently, we discovered that sodium was grown into pores in GF to form sodium particles with large active surface, which contacts with sufficient electrolytes and could be reversibly stripped. The reversibility of the sodium in GF were further verified using in situ X-ray diffraction tests. Accordingly, cycling performance of AFSMBs were improved using C-PP and GF, where capacity retention after 120 cycles were 56.9%, 61.6% and 69.2% for 2500, C-PP and GF, respectively. Moreover, the AFSMB using 2 mAh cm-2 Na[Ni1/3Fe1/3Mn1/3]O2 as cathode with GF exhibiting excellent capacity of 117.61 mAh g-1 under high current density of 1 C. Subsequently, in situ EIS tests after/during charging/discharging process were further conducted to illustrate the enhancement of rate and cycling performance. This work demonstrates the effect of separators on the sodium deposition for higher irreversibility and stability, which could also offer insights for developing advanced separators to achieve high performance AFSMBs.
Dr. Park Jun-woo of the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI) Next-Generation Battery Research Center and Sung Junghwan, student researcher at the UST KERI Campus, have successfully engineered a technology focused on the “size-controlled wet-chemical synthesis of solid-state electrolytes (sulfide superionic conductors).” It not only cuts the processing time and cost by over fifty percent but also doubles the resultant quality.
A team from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and Florida State University has designed a new blueprint for solid-state batteries that are less dependent on specific chemical elements, particularly critical metals that are challenging to source due to supply chain issues. Their work could advance solid-state batteries that are efficient and affordable.
ABSTRACT Cornerstone Research Group (CRG) developed a lithium metal (Li-metal) battery cell for military applications. Utilizing a Li-metal anode, high energy density cathode, and an advanced low-temperature fluorinated electrolyte, the cell was designed and developed to provide high-power and low temperature capabilities. The 1.5 Ah Li-metal pouch cell had a specific energy of 247 Wh/kg and was able to discharge at ultra-low temperatures (-57 °C). Moreover, the Li-metal cell demonstrated extremely high-power by fully discharging at 10 C while maintaining over 70% its initial capacity. To demonstrate the Li-metal cell’s utility for military vehicle use, CRG modeled the cell into the 6T battery platform. A novel module housing was designed to evenly apply compression to the Li-metal cells to improve cell performance. Based on these projections, the Li-metal 6T battery could have a capacity of 163 Ah with a specific energy of 179 Wh/kg. Citation: J. Hondred, F. Zalar, P. Nikolaev, B. Henslee, “High Power Li-Metal Battery Cell for Military Applications,” In Proceedings of the Ground Vehicle Systems Engineering and Technology Symposium (GVSETS), NDIA, Novi, MI, Aug. 15-17, 2023.
Development of all-solid-state batteries is crucial to achieve carbon neutrality. However, their high surface resistance causes these batteries to have low output, limiting their applications. To this end, researchers have employed a novel technique to investigate and modulate electric double layer dynamics at the solid/solid electrolyte interface. The researchers demonstrate unprecedented control of response speed by over two orders of magnitude, a major steppingstone towards realization of commercial all-solid-state batteries.
By the end of 2023 there will be 10 Chinese electric passenger vehicles using advanced semi-solid-state batteries (ASSB) - an industry-first application for EVs and a milestone for vehicle electrification, according to Paul Haelterman, North American VP at Autodatas, a vehicle benchmarking and research firm. It's “a huge step for the industry's production pursuit of all-solid-state batteries,” Haelterman told SAE Media ahead of his presentation on China's EV market at SAE's WCX 2023 conference in Detroit. A semi-solid-state battery can be one in which one electrode does not contain a liquid electrolyte and the other electrode does. Or it can be a battery in which the mass or volume of the solid electrolyte in the monomer accounts for half of the total mass or volume of the electrolyte in the monomer. Some battery experts view semi-solid-state as a compromise technology, offering a faster route to scale, but is heavy and requires more volume.
Researchers have devised a tiny, nano-sized sensor capable of detecting protein biomarkers in a sample at single-molecule precision. Coined as hook and bait, a tiny protein binder fuses to a small hole created in the membrane of a cell — known as a nanopore — which allows ionic solution to flow through it.
Start-up battery developer Factorial Energy's workforce of engineers, chemists and other technology specialists has topped 100 with recent hirings in the Asia-Pacific region. A pilot manufacturing plant for the firm's solid-state lithium-metal batteries is slated to launch later this year. And, Hyundai Motor Co., Stellantis and Mercedes-Benz have invested in the Woburn, Massachusetts-based company and its proprietary Factorial Electrolyte System Technology, trademarked FEST. CEO Siyu Huang recently spoke with SAE Media's Kami Buchholz. Condensed highlights of the interview:
Solid-state lithium-ion batteries that use a solid electrolyte may potentially operate at wide temperatures and provide satisfactory safety. Moreover, the use of a solid electrolyte, which blocks the formation of lithium dendrites, allows batteries to use metallic lithium for the anode, enabling the batteries gain an energy density significantly higher than that of traditional lithium-ion batteries. Solid electrolytes play a role of conducting lithium ions and are the core of solid-state lithium-ion batteries. However, the development of solid lithium electrolytes towards a high lithium ionic conductivity, good chemical and electrochemical stability and scalable manufacturing method has been challenging. We report a new material composed of nitrogen-doped lithium metaphosphate, denoted as NLiPO3. The material delivers a lithium ionic conductivity on the order of 10-4 S/cm at room temperature, which is about two orders of magnitude higher than that of conventional LiPON – the electrolyte currently used in solid-state thin-film lithium-ion batteries, and is comparable or generally higher than that of most of the existing solid electrolytes. The high lithium ionic conductivity was attributed to the formation of P−N
Accelerating demand for renewable energy and electric vehicles is sparking a high demand for the batteries that store generated energy and power engines. But the batteries behind these sustainability solutions aren’t always sustainable themselves. In a paper published in the journal Matter, scientists created a zinc battery with a biodegradable electrolyte from an unexpected source — crab shells.
Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are one of the most used batteries that support modern ITC society, including smartphones and EVs. These batteries are repeatedly charged and discharged by Li-ions passing back and forth between the positive and negative electrodes, with the Li-ion electrolyte acting as a passageway for the ions.
Redox flow batteries are stationary batteries in which the energy is located in the electrolyte, outside of the cell itself, as in a fuel cell. They are often marketed with the prefix “eco” since they open the possibility of storing excess energy from, for example, the Sun and wind. It appears that they can be recharged an unlimited number of times; however, redox flow batteries often contain vanadium, a scarce and expensive metal. The electrolyte in which energy is stored in a redox flow battery can be water-based, which makes the battery safe to use but results in a lower energy density.
Researchers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) are developing a novel microthruster that could provide easy-to-control propulsion during spaceflight. Using solid silver as the fuel source, this innovative microthruster provides thrust via electrospray without heating the fuel reservoir or transporting liquid metals. Instead of transporting a molten metal, this design transports metal ions via a solid electrolyte film.
Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed lithium-ion batteries that perform well at freezing cold and scorching hot temperatures, while packing a lot of energy. The researchers accomplished this feat by developing an electrolyte that is not only versatile and robust throughout a wide temperature range, but also compatible with a high energy anode and cathode.
A team of researchers led by chemists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory has learned that an electrolyte additive allows stable high-voltage cycling of nickel-rich layered cathodes. Their work could lead to improvements in the energy density of lithium batteries that power electric vehicles.
Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed lithium-ion batteries that perform well at freezing cold and scorching hot temperatures, while packing a lot of energy. The researchers accomplished this feat by developing an electrolyte that is not only versatile and robust throughout a wide temperature range, but also compatible with a high energy anode and cathode.
The element niobium (Nb), a transition metal, stands ready to improve the performance of one of the lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery’s confusing array of possible electrode chemistries — the LTO (lithium titanium oxide) anode, which after graphite is the second most-produced. During battery charging, lithium ions leave the positive cathode and move through the battery’s electrolyte to take up positions of higher energy in the anode. During discharge, this process reverses and drives electrons through an external circuit to power the load.
Researchers have developed new polymer electrolytes for redox flow batteries that are flexible, efficient, and environmentally friendly.
Currently the preferred technology to power electric vehicles, lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, has become too expensive for long-duration grid-scale energy storage systems — not to mention that lithium itself is becoming more and more elusive.
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